Astro Dedicates New Mixtape To His 'Deadbeat' Dad

Former 'X Factor' contestant tells Mixtape Daily his Deadbeats & Lazy Lyrics is a shoutout of sorts to his father who 'was never around.'
By Rob Markman, with additional reporting by Ade Mangum

Astro
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702670/astro-deadbeats-lazy-lyrics.jhtml

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10 Areas Where Small Businesses Lack an Online Competitive Edge

This is a guest post by Pratik Dholakiya.

We all know it; even though we wish it weren?t true: small businesses have limited resources. They often have only enough time, money, and patience for the core of their business. Certainly, a small business should never sacrifice its unique selling position. But it?s equally true that businesses need exposure in order to stay up and running.

Thankfully, the web makes it possible to boost awareness at relatively low costs. Even so, many businesses struggle getting a competitive edge online. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. Poor Market Research Before Creating a Web Presence

Often, small businesses are simply creating a website because they feel it?s the modern thing to do, and they just want to get it over with. But it?s important to understand the online marketplace before diving in.

The market for products online may look very different from your local market or the medium you are used to. It?s important to address what the online competition looks like, how many resources they have, and how you can stand out from the crowd.

2. A Cluttered, Ugly Website Design

WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr have made it so that anybody can put up a website. This is exciting because it has given consumers and small businesses a voice that they haven?t had in a very long time, but it also means that users won?t trust you just because you have a website. It?s important to invest in a sleek appearance and intuitive navigation so that users feel they can trust your website.

3. Not Setting a Unique Selling Proposition

As we mentioned in the intro, a business can?t sacrifice its core if it is going to survive long term, and this is only more true online. All to often, businesses try to convince consumers that they are ?the best.? This is typically a waste of time because most consumers will not believe you.

It is important to be more specific about what you have to offer, and, most importantly, draw attention to how you are different.

Online efforts should focus on giving consumers a unique and specific reason to choose their product. Often this means creating a brand image as much as it means promoting the products themselves. It also often means that your site?s content must itself offer unique value that isn?t easily attainable anywhere else on the web.

4. High/identical price of Products/services compared to big names in industry

If your product or brand does not offer a unique and specific benefit over the alternatives, there is no reason it should be priced the same or higher. Big name brands have a very huge advantage in the marketplace and consumers need a very good reason to consider your products instead. This often means your prices must be lower, even if the product is in some ways superior. It is only if your product is clearly different from the competition that you may charge a higher price.

5. Don?t know the exact target audience

This is essentially the same problem as #1, but it?s important enough that it deserves its own category. Businesses often focus so much on creating the superior or cheaper product, when the real goal is to solve a problem for consumers.

You must understand your target consumer and the problems that they want solved. Often, your online content should also help them solve that problem, or related problems. This will help them trust your brand and the ability of your product to solve their problems as well.

6. Undefined Online Marketing Strategy

You need to be able to answer questions like:

• Why are you online?
• How will customers find you?
• Why will customers choose your products over others?
• How will your online presence grow?
• Where are your target consumers most active online?

Unfortunately, it?s not uncommon for businesses to have no answers to these questions.

7. Ignoring Social Media (or Being Ignorant of it)

Virtually everybody uses Facebook, and the most influential people online also use other networks such as Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and others. Making yourself known online requires building relationships with influencers as well as keeping consumers engaged with online conversations and community building.

At the same time, many of the businesses who use social media are ignorant of how it works and why people use it. The vast majority of people use social networks to entertain themselves first and foremost, as well as to express themselves and communicate. They do not use social networks to find information, especially not about consumer products.

8. Underestimating (or Overestimating) the potential of SEO software/tools

Businesses that do not track the results of their online efforts are waving their hands in the dark. It?s important for them to track their rankings, link building efforts, traffic, and other factors in order to understand what is working and what isn?t, so they don?t waste time on failing strategies. Some examples of low cost SEO tools include:

1. SheerSEO
2. W3optimizer
3. SearchEnabler
4. SERPS.com
5. UpCity?(Formerly?known as DIYSEO)

Tools like these will help you understand how you can improve your site so that it is more easily discovered in the search engines.

However, equally dangerous is the possibility of overestimating such tools. It is important to understand that SEO and online marketing in general are not mechanical processes. You must create outstanding content, build relationships, and become a unique voice in the community in order to improve your visibility online and in the search engines.

9. Lack of Online and Offline Local Marketing Strategies

If your business is local, or has physical locations that consumers can visit at all, it is important to have a local marketing strategy. Some businesses are still under the impression that because the internet is a ?world wide web,? it is useless for local marketing. This hasn?t been true for quite some time.

The search engines currently localize search results to display web pages from local businesses and results from Google Maps with driving directions. Foursquare and Yelp have become widely used to find and review local businesses. Facebook has local event notifications, and consumers can review local businesses in Google+ Local or Google Places.

Devise an integrated local marketing strategy that makes the most of the online and offline world in combination with events to spread publicity.

10. Ignoring Mobile

As more and more people own smartphones and tablets, it is becoming unacceptable to pretend that people only use PCs to access the internet. Consumers are frustrated with sites designed for desktops that they have to zoom in and out of and scroll all over the place to use. Sleek and uncluttered sites that they can slide their way through, easily reading and pressing buttons with their fingertips, are far more successful.

But mobile is an opportunity, not just something you need to adapt to. Mobile users tend to be more wealthy, they are more engaged with their devices, and they are often already on the go looking for nearby businesses to visit. Conversions are much higher on mobile devices, and apps keep your brand where consumers will see it.

Conclusion

Understand the web and you will beat your competitors, becoming a successful small business in the online world. Fail to keep up and you will lose touch with your customer base. The web presents a promising opportunity for the businesses willing to make the most of it. Don?t fall behind.

Source: http://kikolani.com/10-areas-where-small-businesses-lack-an-online-competitive-edge.html

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Outbox Pours Salt On Snail Mail By Launching Its Digitizing Service In San Francisco

Mail digitizing startup Outbox is launching in San Francisco today, the first step in what co-founder Will Davis says is a broader national rollout. If, like me, you find physical mail to be an annoyance, this is good news. Basically, Outbox swings by your real-world mailbox three times a week, digitizes the content, and makes it accessible on the Web, iPads, and iPhones. That means you're less likely to dump an important document into the recycling bin (hell, my initial, physical Outbox invite ended up in my laundry hamper, and they had to email me another copy), and your desk/kitchen table/whatever doesn't get cluttered with piles of junk mail.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Amhcor1vQTI/

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Sony Xperia Tablet Z launching globally: 6.9mm thin, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and 1,920 x 1,200 display

Sony's newest tablet, known as the Xperia Tablet Z, launched in Japan last month, but it still hasn't been seen outside of the Far East. Mobile World Congress is the perfect venue to show it off to the entire world, it seems, as it's now expanding to other parts of the globe. As we had hoped, the super-thin Tablet Z doesn't wander off from Japan's variant spec-wise, though this model will offer your choice of 16 or 32GB internal storage, rather than simply the latter. (Sony also announced that a WiFi-only version with 64GB space will come to the US.) Otherwise, it still boasts Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB RAM, a 6,000mAh battery, 8.1MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing cam, NFC, PlayStation Certified, four speakers and a 1,920 x 1,200 display.

Also, the MWC launch gives us a peek at a few minor details we didn't get in the first go-round: the slate includes MHL, up to 64GB of microSD expansion and DLNA, but oddly we haven't seen any specifics on battery size. And just like its cousin, the Z will come with Jelly Bean installed but Sony promises that 4.2 is on its way, though no ETA was given for the update. Finally, we won't hold back on the pricing and availability, even if we kept you in suspense until the end: the black model will be sold in Sony stores and authorized sellers this May, and the white model (which only comes in a 32GB flavor) will be exclusive to official company outlets. A 16GB will put you back $499 and 32GB will be $599. If you're up for a deeper look into the tablet, our hands-on is a great place to get started.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/sony-xperia-tablet-z/

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Eight killed in fighting between Congo rebel factions: sources

KINSHASA (Reuters) - At least eight people were killed - most of them civilians - when fighting erupted between rival factions of eastern Congo's most powerful rebel group, a U.N.-backed radio station and a local source said.

The clashes deep inside territory controlled by the M23 insurgents risk undermining regionally-backed peace talks in neighbouring Uganda between the fighters and Democratic Republic of Congo's government.

They appear to be the first serious sign of tensions within the group, which caused regional shockwaves in November when it routed government troops and pushed past U.N. peacekeepers to briefly seize Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.

U.N.-backed Radio Okapi said the fighting broke out on Sunday in the rebel stronghold of Rutshuru between fighters loyal to M23's military chief, Sultani Makenga, and supporters of warlord Bosco Ntaganda.

Ntaganda triggered the insurgency last April when he quit his post as a Congolese army general, taking hundreds of soldiers with him.

The eight people died when a rocket hit a bar in the centre of the town, the radio station reported.

A local businessman told Reuters on condition of anonymity that he saw the eight dead bodies and said the fighting was between rival elements of M23.

M23 spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa acknowledged here had been fighting in Rutshuru but denied any factional split, instead blaming another rebel group, Rwanda's FDLR.

"It wasn't our men fighting, it was the FDLR, unfortunately right in the centre of Rutshuru," he said, without elaborating "Everything is calm in our ranks."

No one from the FDLR could be reached to comment.

WAR CRIMES FUGITIVE

Nicknamed "The Terminator", Rwandan-born Ntaganda is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes including the massacre of civilians during a previous Tutsi rebellion.

The United Nations says he controls the M23 rebellion, but M23 has repeatedly denied his involvement in the group.

Congo's eastern borderlands have suffered nearly two decades of conflict stoked by ethnic and political enmities and fighting over the region's rich resources of gold, tin, tungsten and coltan - a precious metal used to make mobile phones.

Successive attacks by myriad rebel and militia groups and government soldiers have made the region notorious among rights groups for mass killings, recruitment of child soldiers and rapes used as a weapon of war.

Political analysts say stalled talks between M23 and the Congolese government in Uganda could be exposing old grievances between Makenga and Ntaganda, who have previously found themselves in different factions of rebel movements in Congo.

A split within M23 could undermine peace negotiations, particularly if one faction chooses to continue fighting.

The group accuses the government of failing to hold up its end of a March 23, 2009 peace deal - from which it takes its name - and has sought to gain popular support by tapping into public frustration over the slow pace of reforms in Congo.

M23 has controlled Rutshuru since July and has made it a central administrative zone for the movement. The town, in North Kivu province, is close to the Ugandan and Rwandan borders.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eight-killed-fighting-between-congo-rebel-factions-sources-132455988--sector.html

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Paul Russell: Euthanasia's euphemisms

Here's a great summary of the changes in language employed by those who support changes to the law. This is a time-honoured campaigning tool for anyone who has ever tried to win an argument - but when dealing with life and death - it's just not appropriate.

When a social movement must rely on euphemisms to obfuscate its goals, it is a good bet that there is something wrong with its agenda. From the very beginning of the modern movement, euthanasia advocates have euphemistically bent language as a means of convincing society to endorse killing?an accurate and descriptive term that simply means to end life?as an acceptable method of ending human suffering.

Euthanasia, from the Greek, literally means ?good death.? As the historian Ian Dowbiggin has noted, the term once described ?a calm and easy? natural death at home, ?so family members and friends could say their farewells.?

That changed after an 1870 essay by a teacher named Samuel D. Williams was published arguing that the value of human life depends on whether it is ?worthwhile??an idea known today as the ?quality of life ethic??and moreover, that mercy killing and assisted suicide should be allowed for those who are ?hopelessly suffering.? The essay went viral?to use today?s terminology?and within a few years, the word euthanasia had taken on its modern meaning. The euthanasia movement has been coining new definitions and idioms ever since.

The movement?s latest euphemistic phrase is ?aid in dying,? promoted most prominently by the (euphemistically) named assisted suicide advocacy organization Compassion and Choices (which came into being after a merger with the more descriptively named Hemlock Society). According to C&C, when a terminally ill patient swallows an intentionally prescribed lethal overdose of barbiturates, it isn?t really suicide. Why? Because the word ?suicide? has negative connotations, and C&C wants people to feel positive about some self-killings.

Here?s the idea: A terminally ill patient doesn?t really want to die, but has no choice. Hence, taking an intentionally prescribed lethal overdose of ?medication??another euphemism, since the purpose is not to treat but to poison oneself?doesn?t constitute suicide. Thus, in a C&C press release from a few years ago boosting use of ?aid in dying,? the (late) Peter Goodwin, a prominent assisted suicide-participating doctor, said, ?As a physician, I resent the term ?physician-assisted suicide.? I never felt I was assisting a suicidal patient, but rather aiding a patient with his or her end of life choice.? Since then, ?aid in dying? has become ubiquitous in media stories and assisted suicide advocacy.

Note that Goodwin?s complaint had nothing to do with accuracy and everything to do with emotions. He ?feels? rather than ?thinks.? And that?s how C&C wants listeners and readers to react?emotionally rather than rationally?toward the end that people are more likely to approve of legalizing assisted suicide if it isn?t called what it actually is.

But surely, accurate language must still mean something in public policy debates. Suicide is defined as ?the act or an instance of taking one?s own life voluntarily and intentionally especially by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind.? Thus, under C&C?s reckoning, if the distraught owner of, say, a failed business intentionally takes an overdose of prescribed sleeping pills, it?s suicide. But if the same man takes the pills because he has cancer, and the doctor prescribed the pills for that purpose, it isn?t suicide. That?s nonsensical.

Assisted suicide proponents claim that changing the lexicon is necessary to avoid furthering a supposed stigma associated with suicide. I am not sure whether that stigma exists anymore. But if some suicidal people don?t kill themselves because they worry what others might think, why is that so bad? I mean, the outcome is a saved or extended life. Indeed, many once-suicidal terminally ill people later come to be glad that they didn?t do the deed. Aren?t their lives worth protecting?

I want to make it very clear that I don?t think we should judge or condemn anyone who is suicidal or commits suicide. None of us knows what our own emotional limits might be. Given sufficient despair, fear, or pain, any of us might be attracted to the siren song of self-destruction. The good news is that such causes of despair can often be treated and overcome?including in the dying.

The real issue, then, is how we react to our brothers and sisters who have fallen into a darkness sufficient to make them want to end it all. Should we engage in suicide prevention for all, or only for some? I believe that the dying deserve to have their suicidal desires treated just as seriously as the despairing widow or the troubled teen.

That?s certainly the hospice philosophy, the truly compassionate approach to terminal illness. In contrast to assisted suicide?which is about dying?hospice is about living. Hospice does not seek to simply ?extend life? but maintain its quality to the natural end, and that explicitly includes suicide prevention.

Assisted suicide is suicide.The term is descriptive and accurate. When legalized, it amounts to state-approved suicide, an issue too culturally consequential for us to allow gooey euphemisms to serve as the sugar that helps the bitter hemlock go down.

Wesley J. Smith is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute?s Center on Human Exceptionalism. He also consults for the Patients Rights Council and the Center for Bioethics and Culture. His previous ?On the Square? articles can be found here.?

Source: http://blog.noeuthanasia.org.au/2013/02/euthanasias-euphemisms.html

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Lawmakers dispute records for private gun sales

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A dispute over whether to require record keeping for private gun sales is holding up a compromise between Republican and Democratic senators over expanding background checks for firearms transactions, one of President Barack Obama's top gun control priorities, people familiar with the private talks said Sunday.

Two GOP and two Democratic senators have been looking for a compromise on requiring more of the checks, currently required only for transactions by federally licensed dealers. Private transactions at gun shows, online and elsewhere are not covered by the system, which is designed to keep firearms from criminals, people with serious mental problems and others.

The senators have been bargaining quietly over ways to expand the checks to private sales. But Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., a conservative who has taken a leading role in the talks, has opposed requiring record keeping for private transactions because of a concern it could lead to a national registry of gun owners, which is vehemently opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups.

Democrats say keeping records of private sales is the only way to ensure the checks are performed, and say fears of the creation of a federal gun registry are unfounded. They have offered to have gun manufacturers or other private entities, not the government, keep those records.

The talks were described by a Senate aide and a lobbyist who spoke on condition of anonymity because the senators' talks are private and considered extremely politically sensitive.

The other senators participating in the bargaining are liberal Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., moderate Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and moderate Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

An agreement involving the influential Coburn could be pivotal because it could pave the way for other Republicans to support a background check bill.

Coburn said Sunday that he opposed keeping records on "legitimate, law-abiding gun owners."

"All they have to do is create a record keeping and that will kill this bill," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

The bargainers are close to agreement on other parts of the background check compromise, including carving out exemptions for sales between close relatives and for people who have already been cleared to receive concealed carry permits. They are also working toward creating an appeals process for veterans initially denied guns because they have been treated for traumatic stress disorder.

Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., of the Senate Judiciary Committee is hoping his panel can begin writing gun control legislation this week, but that is considered likely to slip until the following week. His panel is expected to approve legislation on background checks and stiffer federal penalties against illegal gun trafficking.

It is unclear whether there will be enough votes to approve two other Obama priorities: bans on assault weapons and magazines carrying more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-24-Gun%20Control-Congress/id-87a46834b17e435185044038db6cf718

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2013 World Baseball Classic Uniforms: Japan

Japan pulled a fast one about two weeks ago and updated the font on one of their uniforms. Here?s what the set looks like:

Surprisingly, there is no hat released for Japan but I saw one mock up that has the hat looking like the white jersey font with the colors on the blue jersey. The ?fast one? I?referred?to early comes from the Japanese T-shirts that have the blue jersey color schemes also with the white jersey type face. I guess we?ll find out next week.

This entry was posted on February 23, 2013, 2:00 pm and is filed under Main Page. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.213milesfromshea.com/2013/02/23/2013-world-baseball-classic-uniforms-japan/

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From the Editor's Desk: Welcome to Barcelona

We're back, once again, for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. This is my fourth year here. And like previous years, this one appears poised to present its own challenges as well as opportunities to showcase new tech.

On one had it's easy to look at the schedule, what we know is coming -- and what we think we know is coming -- and shrug it off. HTC, usually the highlight (or at least one of them) at MWC, has already announced its flagship for 2013 in the HTC One. Samsung's not expected to do the Galaxy S4 for a few more weeks, though it did already drop the Galaxy Note 8.0 on us. (And it did so on a day usually reserved for travel and/or accidentally leaking devices on the sides of buildings.)

So what's left to look forward to? LG's going to roll out a slew of new devices. ASUS always brings something interesting. And I'm curious to see where things stand with Mozilla and its Firefox OS, which we've played with before. Ubuntu may get the nerd credit, but it's Mozilla that's set to have the first dedicated hardware. It's not Android, specifically, but it's set to take on Android in emerging markets. So my interest is piqued.

Plus, Mobile World Congress moved to a new venue this year. I'll sorely miss the view of the Fira de Barcelona, with the towers at the entrance and the castle looking down from the hill. But the Gran Fira (just a train change and another stop down the road) promises better logistics, we're told, and is a much newer, more modern venue. So we'll see if that makes up for whatever majesty is lost.

And the food. Oh, the food and wine in Barcelona. If you can ever get the chance to come here and gorge on tapas for a few nights, I highly recommend it.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/5mli3suV59U/story01.htm

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Cider is the apple of the alcoholic drink sector's eye, but can move beyond its core market, reports Mintel

Source: Mintel Oxygen Reports

Cider is the apple of the alcoholic drink sector's eye, but can move beyond its core market, reports Mintel

Region: UK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb 2013

Cider is the apple of the alcoholic drink sector's eye, but can move beyond its core market, reports Mintel

With lager companies now also looking to capitalise on the growth in the UK cider market, it seems that the nation?s desire for this fruity drink shows no signs of losing fizz just yet. Indeed, according to new research from Mintel, three in five adults (60%) now drink cider, significantly up from the previous year?s total of 47%. This progress means that in 2012, a greater share of adults drank cider than spirits (57%).

Indeed, cider is even closing in on beer in terms of usage, a market which has struggled to retain its base of drinkers in recent years, standing at 70% in 2012. While its recent successes have helped a number of cider producers to grow rapidly, Mintel research shows that the market?s future prospects could be equally positive as, even among cider drinkers, 23% state that it does not always occur to them to drink it. Further boosting the visibility of the drink in the on- and off-trade could therefore reap spectacular rewards for operators.

Chris Wisson, Senior Drinks Analyst at Mintel said:

?Cider continues to stand out as one of the star performers among alcoholic drinks markets. Usage has flourished in recent years as the market has improved its image, with strong growth at the premium tier. The market has also performed well on the back of its accessibility, with its accessible flavour profiles helping to attract new users such as women and 18-34 year-olds. While many drinks markets are struggling to grow in real terms and are also hampered by the government?s tax escalator, cider is one of the anomalous success stories which is also showing underlying volume growth.?

Cider is in fact one of the few success stories in the alcoholic drinks landscape, achieving steady growth despite the economic downturn. Over the last five years sales of cider have increased by 32% to reach ?2.7 billion in 2012, up from ?1.8 billion in 2007 and with sales increasing 5% in the last year alone. Meanwhile volume sales have posted slower growth, although the market still managed overall growth of 18% between 2007 and 2012.

The success of cider looks set to continue in the coming years, with new producers continuing to build momentum and with strong consumer demand leading to a better range of ciders in both the on- and off-trade sales channels. Over the next five years, Mintel forecasts that the market will reach sales of ?3.7 billion, driven partly by duty increases but also growing user numbers.

Apple pips pear to the post

While apple remains the nation?s favourite flavour of cider, drunk by 47% of adults, there are striking signs of growth coming from the pear and flavoured segments. Pear has grown to be a firm favourite amongst cider drinkers, and is drunk by almost four in ten (37%) adults, buoyed by the entry of brands such as Strongbow and Stella Cidre into the segment. Meanwhile, almost a quarter (24%) of Brits have drunk any other type of fruit-flavoured cider, with flavours in this adventurous segment ranging from cloudberry to toffee apple.

?Pear cider is now a highly profitable segment of the market and one which producers should almost be prioritising on a par with apple cider. While apple continues to drive most of the sales, pear can also be an effective gateway into the market, with a particular appeal to female drinkers. However, pear is still underperforming in terms of appealing to older drinkers and operators may be well served in highlighting features such as a British heritage and ingredient quality to appeal to these more traditional cider drinkers.? Chris continues.

While the cider market continues to make great strides, there are still a number of challenges for producers to overcome. Many of these relate to its image as amongst lager, wine and RTD drinkers, just 8% think that cider is sophisticated while 14% think that it is worth paying more for, both of which are significantly behind associations with wine.

?While cider enjoys a range of positive associations among drinkers, such as being refreshing, natural and suitable for men and women, sophistication is an area where there is significant room for improvement. The cider market has improved its image greatly over the past decade and should continue working to evolve away from unfavourable historical associations such as those with underage and binge drinking, and towards being a sophisticated drink to be seen with.? Chris concludes.

For more information, please contact Sian Brenchley, Monica Trombini or Amanda Lintott
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7600 5703 Email: press@mintel.com

Please note that this service is for journalists only. For all other requests please contact the sales team at info@mintel.com.

Source: http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/press-releases/1052/cider-is-the-apple-of-the-alcoholic-drink-sectors-eye-but-can-move-beyond-its-core-market-reports-mintel

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The PS4 Sort of Arrives, The Crazy Caverns Below NYC, What It's Like to Wear Google Glass, And More

There were a lot of annoncements this week, but no pay off quite yet. We learned a lot about the upcoming PS4, got new data on Google Glass, and found out about a new Chromebook you shouldn't buy. And all that on top of ghost ships, a Blackberry 10 review, Flipboard for porn, NYC's mammoth subway project, and much, much more. Check it all out below. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/UgOQioRj9ts/the-ps4-sort-of-arrives-the-crazy-caverns-below-nyc-what-its-like-to-wear-google-glass-and-more

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London, Ontario Preparing to Host the ?Olympic Games? of Figure Skating

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London, Ontario?s Budweiser Gardens will be the center of attention for the world of figure skating next month as the city hosts the 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. It will be the first time the event has been held in Canada since 2006, when Calgary set the stage for the event.

As an annual event that moves around the globe, the ISU World Figure Skating Championships attract more than 150 million TV viewers worldwide and showcase 200 of the best athletes from 50 countries in four disciplines: men?s, ladies, pair and ice dance.

Canada currently has favorites in two of the four disciplines. Canadian champion Patrick Chan is the holder of three world records and is the reigning 2011 World Champion. In Ice Dance, Olympic and World Champions, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, both from the London area, will be battling to add another world title to their list of successes.

Competition in London will not only name the world champions in all disciplines, it will also identify the numbers of entries qualifying countries may send to the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Russia, which is less than a year away.

The competition schedule is not yet final however practice sessions will begin on March 11, with the closing exhibition gala performed on Sunday, March 17.

Seeing ?The Worlds? live is a rare opportunity. Feeling the tension and emotion, witnessing the speed and power, sitting in the audience and watching the drama unfold is a not-to-be-missed sporting event!

For ticket information, visit www.skatecanada.ca or www.budweisergardens.com, or call 1-866-455-2849. For helpful information on planning a quick getaway to London, please visit www.londontourism.ca.

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Source: http://orchardpark.wgrz.com/news/events/73342-london-ontario-preparing-host-olympic-games-figure-skating

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Annette Gross: LGBT Kids, You Do Have a Purpose!

On Feb. 10, Indiana media reported that LGBT students in Sullivan, Ind., a small town near the Illinois/Indiana border, asked the school administration if they could attend their high school prom. The school clearly supported the students in attending. Yet the focus of the media story was on the fact that some teachers, parents and students did not want LGBT couples to attend the prom. They held a meeting at a local church to discuss holding a "traditional prom" outside the school that would ban the LGBT students. Local media covering the meeting broadcast an on-camera interview with Diana Medley, a special-ed teacher at North Central Jr./Sr. High School. When asked if she believed that gay people have a purpose in life, she said, "No, I honestly don't."

This statement sent an emotional shockwave across the country. LGBT organizations and allies around the state sent emails and discussed what action to take. Among these were the three of us: Rev. Marie Siroky, President of ICON (Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination); Annette Gross, State Coordinator of Indiana PFLAG; and Jean Capler, President of FairTalk, an organization working for full relationship equality in Indiana.

Marie considered writing a press release:

I was thinking about how the kids felt hearing that from a teacher, and my actions were aimed at the statement that was made. Then my friend Michelle, a parent and teacher, asked what ICON was doing and said that she wanted to be a part of it. Something switched inside me. I realized that I had lost my focus and had wanted action toward something, when, as a minister, I needed to have action with someone, in this case the LGBT youth. I used a play on words and tweeted "GLBT You Have A Purpose." I thought that a video would make a stronger statement.

So we began to brainstorm: How do we best reach the kids?

Jean knew it was best to strike while the iron is hot: "My work as a psychotherapist with LGBT youth and adults allows me to see firsthand the pain caused by hurtful words. I was determined to do something to support the young people affected." As president of FairTalk, her focus is on fostering respectful and honest conversations between people to promote equality for all. It was crucial that the youth affected by these words be supported with a positive message. This emphasis on positive messages would be a fundamental part of the emerging project.

Annette is the only one among us who has a gay child, and her fierceness and protectiveness makes her the queen of PR. Annette explained:

People were asking me what I, as Indiana PFLAG State Coordinator, was going to do. My focus was not on the teacher or what happens to her but on the LGBT kids. When a parent hears someone say that their child and others like him don't have any value, that triggers some very intense feelings. The message is that your child doesn't count in this world, that he or she shouldn't even be here. These are very hurtful and damaging words. So I was very happy to work with Marie and Jean to get the message out that we care about these kids and that they do indeed have a purpose!

By the following Friday, the Facebook page "You Have a Purpose Project" went up with two videos. Then the "likes" started, and messages and videos followed. Watching them is emotional. You can see the pain that these kids experienced when they came out, but what shines through is their strength and passion. And the statements of support were inspiring!

The focus of the "You Have a Purpose Project" is to let LGBT kids know that they do have a purpose and that we care. We ideally want more video messages and fewer comments. There is something visceral about seeing someone's expression and hearing another person's voice when they tell you that you matter. It is affirming to hear from LGBT people and their allies in the UK, Portugal or southern Indiana as they share their happiness when they tell us their personal stories and thank us for caring about them.

So please go to our page and "like" it and share it with your friends. Watch the videos that are posted, and consider making one yourself. Let's show our LGBT kids that they do matter and that they do have a purpose!

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/annette-gross/lgbt-kids-you-do-have-a-purpose_b_2746662.html

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Women's basketball head coach Beckie Francis will be on the 4:00 edition of WDIV...

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Mindy McCready's funeral set for Tuesday in Fla.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Mindy McCready's funeral has been scheduled for Tuesday in her hometown of Fort Myers, Fla.

The funeral for the late country star will be held at Crossroads Church and will be private. A Friday news release says a memorial organized by friends and the music community is tentatively scheduled for March 6 at Cathedral of the Incarnation.

McCready committed suicide Sunday at her home in Heber Springs, Ark., days after leaving a court-ordered substance abuse treatment program. The 37-year-old mother of two died from a single gunshot to the head about a month after her longtime boyfriend David Wilson was believed to have killed himself in the same location.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mindy-mccreadys-funeral-set-tuesday-fla-155835651.html

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Source: http://www.sctimes.com?altcast_code=068850f1ca

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Q&A: Why investors are wary of Italy's elections

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? Investors are keeping a wary eye on Italy as the country heads to the polls Sunday and Monday to elect a new parliament. They fear that a new government and prime minister could weaken or scrap the economic reforms and budget cuts begun by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti during his 15 months in office and hurt Italy's chances of recovering from a decade of low growth.

While the markets are unlikely to punish Italy as they did in 2011-12, they will want to make sure a new government doesn't mean a return to Italy's bad old days.

Here are some questions and answers about this weekend's elections matter for Italy and the rest of Europe.

Q: Why all the worry?

A: Italy's economy ? the third-largest among the 17 European Union countries that use the euro ? has only grown less than a half percent a year on average for a decade. That is compared to 1.25 percent in other rich industrialized countries. Faster growth is needed to shrink Italy's mounting debt burden, which already equals 127 percent of its annual gross domestic product.

Because of its size, Italy's problems can dent market confidence in the whole eurozone. Doubts about Italy's ability to manage its debt caused markets to question whether the euro could survive in 2011-12.

Q: What's wrong with its economy?

Before it joined the euro in 1999, the country used to give its economy a boost by to devaluing its old currency, the lire ? a trick that used to make its exports cheaper.

Devaluation helped mask underlying problems such as labor rules that favor vested interests such as unions and established workers, which kill off job prospects for younger people; a high business tax burden and heavy cost to businesses from expensive public utilities and red tape.

Italy "remains in dire need of structural reforms to boost competitiveness and improve trend growth," wrote economists Norbert Aul and James Ashley at RBC Capital Markets. They noted that the only economies that have grown more slowly in the past 12 years are Zimbabwe, San Marino, and Portugal.

A growing economy would increase government revenue from business and income taxes and the country's debt.

Q: Where does Monti come into all this?

A: Italy's political parties installed Monti, a former EU commissioner and academic, as prime minister to lead a temporary crisis government of financial experts in November, 2011. His predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, resigned after high borrowing costs, fed by fears Italy would not pay its debts, threatened the country with financial ruin and rattled confidence in the eurozone.

Monti set about easing some of Italy's anti-business practices, such as labor laws that made it extremely difficult to fire longtime workers. He reduced the budget deficit with the help of an unpopular tax on homes.

Italy's deficit is down to around 3 percent of gross domestic output for last year ? not great, but it complies with the official limit for eurozone members.

However, in January, Monti resigned as Prime Minister after Berlusconi's party withdrew its support and criticized his cutbacks - hence the new elections.

Q: So now the elections are under way, what are investors afraid of?

A: Italy's Byzantine election laws could mean many different outcomes. The worst result would be no party or coalition being able to form a government, leading to new elections.

Researcher Vincenzo Scarpetta at the Open Europe think tank says the probability of this is "very low" but that re-run elections could mean "potentially, huge market pressure, which Italy can hardly afford." This pressure would come in the form of rising interest rates on government debt.

Another possibility could be a parliament so divided that it can't govern effectively, or a shaky coalition of parties with clashing agendas ? meaning that any policies would be the result of endless compromise and back-room deals. A badly split parliament "would surely affect investors' confidence as Italy's political future would remain unclear," said Aul and Ashley.

The return of a government led by Berlusconi's center-right coalition ? regarded as unlikely ? could also dismay markets given his call to repeal Monti's home tax and the lack of confidence markets showed in him in 2011.

Q: What do markets want to see?

A: Analysts say investors seem to be anticipating that the center-left Democratic Party, led by Pier Luigi Bersani will win. Bersani opposes budget austerity but is regarded as not totally against all efforts to improve conditions for business. Markets would like it best if he wins but still needs the seats won by small parties led by Monti to govern. That would mean the government might continue with some of the reforms.

Q: So should we expect market chaos and the eurozone crisis to erupt again?

A: Not right away, no. Italian law requires extensive consultation, so it could take weeks to tell who is in charge. In 2008, it took 24 days for Berlusconi to be sworn in despite a landslide win.

However, an anti-reform result could mean Italy's borrowing costs could rise in the days and weeks following the election.

That would be a sure sign that bond investors are more skeptical of the country's long-term ability to pay.

But it's considered unlikely that the yields would immediately rise to the record levels of last year that threatened to push Italy to default. That is thanks to the European Central Bank, which has done much to calm fears that a country will be unable to pay its debts. In September, the ECB offered to buy unlimited amounts of bonds issued by indebted countries, if they agree to reforms and to cut their deficits. No one has used the program yet but its mere existence has lowered Italy's borrowing costs.

Nonetheless, a new Italian government that rejects reform "will lead to more uncertainty, higher yields and a gradual process toward the situation we had last year," says Carsten Brzeski, an analyst at ING in Brussels.

The big problem is the long-term absence of growth rather than what the markets do next week.

Economists Aul and Ashley warn: "Whichever party ends up in power... needs to focus upon Italy's economic frailties as a matter of priority."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-24-Italy-Election-QandA/id-d34c685fe8884996995be44eab465615

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Te'o doing tough balancing act at NFL combine

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Manti Te'o walked into a crowded room of reporters Saturday, took a breath and settled in for 15 minutes of NFL scouting combine history.

Again, the former Notre Dame linebacker explained how he had been duped into an Internet romance he had with a girlfriend he never met. He did his best to turn the page on an embarrassing chapter by talking football. This time, he even got to see it play out on live television 12 yards away ? where three muted flat-screen monitors were in direct view of Te'o.

He answered every question with thoughtful deliberation and tried to provide clarity on a hoax that turned one of the nation's most inspirational college football players into the butt of national jokes.

"I cared for somebody. That's what I was taught to do ever since I was young. Somebody needs help, you help them out," Te'o said.

Later he added: "People doubted me because I took a while to come out. From our point of view, we wanted to let everything come out first, and then let my side come out. The way we did it, I thought, worked best for me."

Te'o's news conference was the most anticipated event of the NFL's second-biggest offseason weekend, which brought the makeshift media room inside Lucas Oil Stadium to a virtual standstill ? twice.

The too-good-to-be-true story began with Te'o's incredible performances after learning his grandmother and what he believed was his girlfriend had died within hours of one another in September. Te'o said it inspired him to play his best football all season, and it was so compelling that it helped turn Te'o into a Heisman Trophy contender as he was leading the Fighting Irish to an undefeated regular season and into the national championship game.

On Dec. 26, Te'o notified Notre Dame officials that he had received a call from his supposedly dead girlfriend's phone three weeks earlier.

The school investigated and on Jan. 16 ? after Deadspin.com broke the story of the fake girlfriend ? athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced at a news conference that Te'o had been duped. Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, 22, later said he created the online persona of Lennay Kekua, a nonexistent woman who Te'o said he fell in love with despite never meeting her in person.

Since then, Te'o had only done a few one-on-one interviews.

On Saturday all that changed as many of the 800 credentialed media members surrounded the podium in rows that went eight deep. Te'o wore a tie-died red-and-black workout shirt.

"It's pretty crazy," said Te'o, who has played most of his games on national television and was one of the most recognizable college players last season. "I've been in front of a few cameras before, but never as many as this."

Only two scenes from the combine over the past 15 years could even compare to what Te'o had to contend with Saturday.

The first came in 2004 when former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was allowed to participate in the combine after a court ruled he should be allowed to enter the draft after finishing high school only two years earlier. That decision was later reversed.

The other time was 2010, when Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national champion Tim Tebow stepped to the podium in Indianapolis and everyone, including those listening to Packers coach Mike McCarthy, sprinted to the opposite end of the room for Tebow.

This was different.

When word leaked Te'o would speak at about noon, reporters immediately surrounded the podium. Over the next 25 minutes, rumors circulated that in a rare and possibly unprecedented move, Te'o's agent would speak from the podium. That did not happen. There also was speculation that Te'o might deliver an opening statement like the then-injured Michael Crabtree did in 2009 and Cam Newton did two years later. That did not happen, either, though Te'o did make a closing statement in which he thanked his family, friends and fans for standing by him during this tumultuous month.

"It's definitely embarrassing. You walk into grocery stores and people give you double takes to see if they're staring at you," he said before explaining he's moved on. "If I was embarrassed, I wouldn't be able to stand in front of you."

The only thing that really matters in Indy, though, is what team officials think. Te'o said in the two formal interviews he's had, with Green Bay and Houston, they have asked about the hoax. He has another 18 interviews left.

Will it hurt his draft position?

Former NFL executive Bill Polian, architect of four Super Bowl teams in Buffalo and two in Indianapolis, has been adamant that it won't, and coaches and general managers seem to agree.

Most say they are more concerned with the red flags of other players -- drug use, alcohol abuse, academic woes and even criminal allegations -- than they are with Te'o's tale.

"Somebody that's not truthful, that's big, to me. I'm a big fan of the 'Judge Judy' show. And when you lie in Judge Judy's courtroom, it's over. Your credibility is completely lost. You have no chance of winning that case," San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday. "I learned that from her. It's very powerful, and true. Because if somebody does lie to you, how can you ever trust anything they ever say after that?"

Two questions later, he was asked whether that meant the reigning NFC champs would avoid Te'o in April's draft.

"No. I wouldn't say that," Harbaugh said.

Te'o and the general public weren't the only ones watching the interview session Saturday.

Team officials are taking notes, too.

"Honestly, it's a distraction. If he can handle that distraction and still be able to perform on the football field, I really don't think it makes that much of a difference," Carolina coach Ron Rivera said before Te'o spoke. "We'll talk about it, we'll find out about it. The bottom line is, is he a good person and can he play football?"

On the field, Te'o's is one of the top linebackers available.

Last season, he won the Maxwell Award, Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award and Walter Camp national player of the year and finished second in balloting for the Trophy.

But there are concerns. Te'o was asked if the undercurrent of the hoax explained his poor play in Notre Dame's BCS championship game loss to Alabama. He has said it didn't.

"They want to be able to trust their players. You don't want to invest in somebody you can't trust," Te'o said. "With everybody here, they're just trying to get to know you as a person and as a football player, and I understand where they're coming from."

But the hardest part has been seeing the impact it's had on those around him.

In a phone call, Te'o said his sister explained how the family had to sneak into its own house because of the people parked in the front yard, and he also said he empathized with the chaos it has caused Tuiasosopo's family. He said he has no plans to sue, either.

Instead, Te'o just wants to forget about the hoax and focus on football.

"I've learned first, just to be honest in everything you do, from the big things to the small things. To keep your circle very small and to really understand who's in your corner and who's not," he said. "Going off of the season my team and I had, there were a lot of people in our corner, and then when Jan. 16th happened, there was a lot of people in the other corner. I've just learned to appreciate the people that I have that are with me."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/teo-doing-tough-balancing-act-nfl-combine-200055982--nfl.html

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Port Orchard, WA 2011 Ford Crown Victoria Used Sedan Bremerton, WA Gig Harbor, WA Bruce Titus Port Orchard Ford

• Color: Silver
• Stock#: BX165839A
• Engine: 4.6L V8
• VIN: 2FABP7EV2BX136335
• Transmission: Automatic 4 Speed
• Odometer: 34,202 mi.
• Body Style: RWD Sedan (4 Door)

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• • Compass
  • Tachometer
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  • Clock - In-radio display
  • External temperature display
  • Power windows with 1 one-touch
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  • Multi-function remote - Trunk/hatch/door

• Technical

• • 4 Doors
  • Rear-wheel drive
  • 239 hp horsepower
  • Automatic Transmission
  • 4.6 liter V8 SOHC engine
  • Fuel economy EPA highway (mpg): 24 and EPA city (mpg): 16

• Safety

• • Passenger Airbag
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• Interior

• • Rear bench seats
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• Exterior

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*The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, finance charges, documentation charges, and any other fees required by law. We attempt to update this inventory on a regular basis. However, there can be lag time between the sale of a vehicle and the update of the inventory.

EPA mileage estimates are for newly manufactured vehicles only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Before purchasing this vehicle, it is your responsibility to address any and all differences between information on this website and the actual vehicle specifications and/or any warranties offered prior to the sale of this vehicle. Vehicle data on this website is compiled from publicly available sources believed by the publisher to be reliable. Vehicle data is subject to change without notice. The publisher assumes no responsibility for errors and/or omissions in this data the compilation of this data and makes no representations express or implied to any actual or prospective purchaser of the vehicle as to the condition of the vehicle, vehicle specifications, ownership, vehicle history, equipment/accessories, price or warranties. 2011 Ford Seattle, WA 2011 Ford Tacoma, WA 2011 Ford Olympia, WA

Source: http://www.brucetitus.com/2011-Ford-Crown-Victoria-Port-Orchard-WA/vd/13678366

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY: France's 'City of Light' to turn some off; retailers see a 'political gesture'