Small Talk: Small businesses squabble over paid sick-time laws ...

FILE- In this Friday, Jan. 18 2013 file photo, activists hold signs during a rally at New York's City Hall to call for immediate action on paid sick days legislation. Two months after a severe flu season forced millions of workers to stay home, paid sick time is becoming an issue for many small business owners. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Two months after a severe flu season forced millions of workers to stay home, paid sick time is becoming an issue for many small business owners.

City councils in Portland, Ore., and Philadelphia earlier this month approved laws requiring employers to give their workers paid sick leave. And two Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill in Congress that would make paid sick leave a federal requirement.

There?s a great divide among business owners over the issue. On one side are opponents who say paid sick time creates financial and administrative burdens for businesses that are struggling with a still recovering economy and uncertainty about health care costs and federal budget cuts. Others argue that it makes for a happier workplace and encourages employees to stay home instead of coming to work and infecting everyone around them.

"It increases morale, it increases loyalty, it provides a much safer work environment," says Andy Shallal, owner of Busboys and Poets, a chain of four restaurants in the Washington D.C., area. He was already giving his workers paid sick time before the Washington City Council passed a sick leave law in 2008. It?s particularly important in the restaurant business that sick employees don?t come to work.

"It?s gross. Nobody wants to have anyone preparing their food when they?re sick," Shallal says.

A lot of Americans get paid sick leave, including many who work at small businesses. A study issued in July by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 66 percent of small businesses, those with up to 499 workers, provided paid sick leave. Among companies with fewer than 50 workers, half provided leave. Eighty-two percent of workers at companies with 500 or more employees have paid sick leave.

Lawmakers have been stepping in to get paid sick leave extended to more workers. San Francisco is widely believed to be the first major city to enact a paid sick leave law. The law, which requires that sick time be given to all workers, took effect in 2007. Since then, Washington, Seattle and Connecticut have enacted laws and Portland?s City Council passed its bill on March 13. The laws aren?t identical, but all generally provide for workers to accrue sick time and to also use it for family illnesses and some types of emergencies.

Paid sick leave has run into roadblocks in other cities. Philadelphia?s City Council passed its bill March 14, but Mayor Michael Nutter vetoed a similar bill in 2011. He hasn?t decided yet whether he?ll sign the latest bill, spokesman Mark McDonald says.

Among the consequences cited by opponents of paid sick time: Companies will have to pay overtime to replacement workers, financially strapping businesses that are already struggling in an uncertain economy. The added expense will prevent them from expanding, or hiring other workers. Keeping track of accrued sick time will force an owner or another employee to take time away from other critical tasks.

Those issues are likely to be raised in Congress, where Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, have reintroduced the Healthy Families Act, which would require that workers be allowed to earn up to seven days of paid sick time a year. DeLauro has introduced such a bill in every Congress since 2004. In the last Congress, the bill didn?t make it to the House floor.

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DeLauro expects opposition from small businesses, but she notes that companies with fewer than 50 employees will be exempt.

"This is not only helpful for workers, but smart for employers," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It reduces turnover, increases productivity and prevents the spread of illness."

A study by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics issued last month showed that workers generally take few sick days. Those in industries including financial services, information, transportation and professional services took an average of about four sick days a year. Those in the leisure, hospitality and construction industries took about two days.

Many small company owners say paid sick time is good business.

"We like many bookstores in the country do not pay exceptionally well," says Bradley Graham, owner of Politics & Prose in Washington. "We?re very happy to be able to offer additional compensation to the staff in the form of paid sick leave."

Fears that businesses won?t be able to grow if they have to pay for sick time are groundless, says Andy Shallal, the Washington restaurant owner.

"With sick leave, we?ve expanded, we?ve hired more people," Shallal says. "Business associations tend to go through this apoplectic fit almost to scare people into believing this is going to be a horrible thing for business, when in reality, it?s not."

Another reason why many business owners support the laws is they don?t want people coming into work and infecting co-workers and customers.

"There?s much more awareness among employers about public health concerns," says Ophelia Galindo, a human resources consultant with Buck Consultants in Orange County, Calif. "It?s much better for that sick employee to be at home ? even employers that are struggling realize that?s important."

Joyce Rosenberg covers small business for The Associated Press.

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/56073552-79/sick-paid-workers-leave.html.csp

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Iterations: Calendar Frenzy, Google Now, and Apple's ?Anticipatory ...

Editor?s Note: Semil Shah is a contributor to TechCrunch. You can follow him on Twitter at @semil.

Now that the Mailbox sale to Dropbox is complete, let?s move on to the next native iOS app that everyone wants to replace: The Calendar. Yes, the calendar. Nearly every other conversation I had this past week included some chatter about all the new calendar apps (see the screenshot of my iPhone). Peeling back the layers on all these calendar apps and the herd-like interest in the space, however, reveals both challenges and opportunities that go much deeper than comparing mobile apps based on product features.

For those among us who use Android, Google Now is the type of anticipatory computing, powered by data and algorithmic learning, that enables a machine to guide us in life almost like an assistant would. On Apple?s iOS, however, there is no such thing like ?Apple Now,? and as a result, savvy entrepreneurs are seeking to build that service as a third-party application. And, curiously, they?re using the mobile calendar on Apple to kickstart this game and using calendar ?intent? to infer what to send to the user.

The motivation to write this post came as a surprise. You may have noticed that, over the past month, the amount of ?smart calendars? and ?intelligent assistants? has seemed to explode, all at the same time. Not too long ago, iPhone users had the chance to buy well-designed calendar apps like Calvetica and Fantastical to have a better experience that what Apple?s native calendar app provides. I?d guess many Gmail loyalists on iPhone would love to have a native Google Calendar app, just as Google has shown excellence in iOS recently, but that doesn?t seem to be a high priority for now.

Back in the middle of 2012, I started using a service called Sunrise, which started on the web. It is a well-designed product that integrates your social networks and calendar to provide more context around upcoming meetings. More recently, Sunrise has built a clever iOS app that has many neat tricks, such as allowing users to go straight from Sunrise to Google Maps for iPhone, since our friends in Cupertino won?t let us set our own app-defaults for actions like these.

There are many players in this category, broadly speaking. Apps like Twist, which starts out with the goal of automating arrival alerts between meeting participants via SMS, or Cue (formerly Greplin), which presents your day?s information with more context on mobile, or Any.Do, a daily planner tying tasks together with the calendar, could grow into something larger at scale.

The big idea here is that systems like Sunrise and the others could, over time, start with making a better mobile iOS calendar and then grow into more anticipatory services, perhaps becoming a ?Google Now for Apple.??And, as competition goes these days, just as Sunrise is drawing attention, we have witnessed a whole new crop of ?intelligent assistants? on Apple?s platform, such as Tempo?(originated at SRI) and Leave Now, as well apps that we can only anticipate (pun intended) like Sherpa and Donna, which haven?t yet been released. (I have not tried Sherpa or Donna.)

These are all great apps, quite sophisticated in their feature offerings, but overall, while I find this particular entrepreneurial pursuit more than noble, I wonder about how much of an effect these apps could have within the iOS ecosystem given all the hurdles presented by Apple. Let us count the ways. App Store discoverability seems to be getting worse, not better. Most of these apps ask for access to your iPhone contact list and your iPhone calendar, and if users don?t allow those permissions during onboarding and registration, users will need to navigate their way into ?Settings? to reactivate those permissions piecemeal. Even if an app can extract these permissions, many of them end up grabbing location persistently, even though some of them talk about access the GPS sensor in low-power mode. I?m of the belief that these always-on, location-aware apps are slightly ahead of their time and will require fundamental advancements in moile battery technology before consumers will give up their battery life. (Even apps as elegant and useful as Moves?or Highlight, for instance, which passively grabs user location data throughout the day, may have their overall adoption impacted because of this reason.)

The larger question here, ultimately, is the delta between the efficacy and utility of a service like Google Now and what is possible given the current iOS environment. The way things stand today ? and I know things could change, with advancements like Google Glass or an iWatch, etc. ? recreating a ?Google Now-like? experience on iPhone can only happen at the application layer, hence the competition listed above, but in order to really work for consumers, it will have to be an OS-level solution. Perhaps Apple assumed technologies like Siri could start to train iOS users to start giving voice-commands as inputs with a long-term goal of delivering intelligent outputs. I don?t fully understand the depth of the technological problems underneath this, but at least as a consumer, this notion not only seems far off in the future, it may also be a pipe dream.

This poses a curious opportunity and challenge for iOS app builders in this space. Even though they may have deep technologies and elaborate product roadmaps, all of the hurdles of getting to scale on iOS as well as all the permissions they require from the mobile operating system present a series of minefields. In order to compete with a service like Google Now, an iOS app would need continuous access to data in our email, calendars, address book, and location logs. And, with the acquisition of Mailbox fresh in our minds, that transaction may have set a bandwidth that any app in this productivity space could fetch on the market.

While I would never want to constrain a young team?s sights on more short-term goals ? and I do sincerely hope one of these players emerge to be on everyone?s iPhones ? the combined reality of (1) Apple?s legacy mindset with respect to its own mobile operating systems and (2) today?s acquisitive environment for iOS teams means startups in the calendaring or assistant space on iOS have a small but rare opportunity to sprint to grow (hint: use the web!). And, if successful, they may end up in Cupertino building this, because it?s only at the OS level ? not app layer ? that Apple could begin to provide more pervasive computing services and allow their machines a chance to to get better with time. In long-run, all of this poses a significant challenge to Apple?s iOS platform. Perhaps this is just one way to read the tea leaves. Unless something drastically changes in the meantime with respect to the App Store, battery technologies, or simply how Apple sets up their OS, I just don?t see any other way.

Sunrise is a free calendar app made for Google Calendar users. Designed with love, Sunrise is a new experience that will make your life easier.

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Tempo AI, Inc. was founded at SRI International in 2011 by mobile veteran Raj Singh, Microsoft veteran Corey Hulen, and Thierry Donneau-Golencer of SRI. Tempo AI leverages sophisticated virtual personal assistant technology from SRI International, the birthplace of the Internet, the computer mouse and more recently Siri. In February 2013, Tempo AI launched the Tempo Smart Calendar mobile app, the first intelligent calendar that?s like having a personal assistant prepare what?s next to save users time and eliminate hassles....

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Cue (formerly Greplin) is a free service that helps people make the most of their day. Cue intelligently ties together and surfaces useful information at the right time from the accounts they use most, including email, contacts, and calendar. People can see their entire day at a glance or simultaneously search across all of their accounts with Cue.

? Learn more

Any.DO is a free to-do list that helps you get things done with your friends in a simple and elegant way. With Any.DO you can easily capture, organize and sync all the things you need to do.

? Learn more

Sherpa is a predictive intelligence iOS app and platform that gets you the information you need so you can stay one step ahead every day. By combining the power of location data with updates from your calendar, email and daily routine, Sherpa manages the details of everything from work travel to your weekly meetings and commute. Unlike other applications, services or even personal assistants out there, Sherpa is proactive, not reactive ? and location, not calendar based. It learns...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/31/calendar-frenzy/

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NKorea says it's in state of war with SKorea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? North Korea issued its latest belligerent threat Saturday, saying it has entered "a state of war" with South Korea a day after its young leader threatened the United States because two American B-2 bombers flew a training mission in South Korea.

Analysts say a full-scale conflict is extremely unlikely and North Korea's threats are instead aimed at drawing Washington into talks that could result in aid and boosting leader Kim Jong Un's image at home. But the harsh rhetoric from North Korea and rising animosity from the rivals that have followed U.N. sanctions over Pyongyang's Feb. 12 nuclear test have raised worries of a misjudgment leading to a clash.

In a joint statement by the government, political parties and organizations, North Korea said Saturday that it will deal with all matters involving South Korea according to "wartime regulations." It also warned it will retaliate against any provocations by the United States and South Korea without "any prior notice."

The divided Korean Peninsula is already in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. But Pyongyang said it was scrapping the war armistice earlier this month.

South Korea's Unification Ministry released a statement saying the latest threat wasn't new and was just a follow-up to Kim's earlier order to put troops on a high alert in response to annual U.S-South Korean military drills. Pyongyang sees those drills as rehearsals for an invasion; the allies call them routine and defensive.

In an indication North Korea is not immediately considering starting a war, officials in Seoul said South Korean workers continued Saturday to cross the border to their jobs at a joint factory park in North Korea that's funded by South Koreans

On Friday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned his forces were ready "to settle accounts with the U.S." after two nuclear-capable U.S. B-2 bombers dropped dummy munitions on a South Korean island range as part of joint drills and returned to its base in Missouri.

North Korean state media later released a photo of Kim and his senior generals huddled in front of a map showing routes for envisioned strikes against cities on both American coasts. The map bore the title "U.S. Mainland Strike Plan."

At the main square in Pyongyang, tens of thousands of North Koreans turned out for a 90-minute mass rally in support of Kim's call to arms. Small North Korean warships, including patrol boats, conducted maritime drills off both coasts of North Korea near the border with South Korea earlier this week, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing Friday. He didn't provide details.

The spokesman said that South Korea's military was mindful of the possibility that North Korean drills could lead to an actual provocation. He said that the South Korean and U.S. militaries are watching closely for any signs of missile launch preparations in North Korea. He didn't elaborate.

Experts believe North Korea is years away from developing nuclear-tipped missiles that could strike the United States. Many say they've also seen no evidence that Pyongyang has long-range missiles that can hit the U.S. mainland.

Still, there are fears of a localized conflict, such as a naval skirmish in disputed Yellow Sea waters. Such naval clashes have happened three times since 1999. There's also danger that such a clash could escalate. Seoul has vowed to hit back hard the next time it is attacked.

"The first strike of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will blow up the U.S. bases for aggression in its mainland and in the Pacific operational theatres including Hawaii and Guam," the North said Saturday in the statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

Pyongyang uses the U.S. nuclear arsenal as a justification for its own push for nuclear weapons. It says that U.S. nuclear firepower is a threat to its existence.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nkorea-says-state-war-skorea-030928154.html

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Booq Boa Courier

As a lifelong user of backpacks, I'm fully aware that it borders on heresy to admit that I've secretly been coveting messenger bags for a while. Perhaps it's simply a side-effect of growing older, but I've slowly come to appreciate the way that messenger bags can carry a lot of stuff while maintaining a sleek, business-casual look that eludes most backpacks. The Booq Boa Courier ($109.95 list) is one such example, merging function and style in a versatile bag that can accommodate your MacBook (or any laptop up to 15 inches) while looking clean enough to bring to work and cool enough for happy hour.

The Boa Courier is available in 10-, 13-, or 15-inch sizes. Our review unit was the 13-inch model, and its exterior accordingly measures 10.8 by 17.1 by 4.7 inches (HWD) and weighs two pounds like the Ju-Ju-Be Be Hip (Messenger Bag)'s timber model. The Boa Courier's nylon exterior rocks a graphite finish that's decidedly more understated than the Magic Eye-like prints that we saw on the Ju-Ju-Be Micra Be Laptop Bag . In addition to its waterproof coating, the Boa Courier's nylon exterior also features a reflective piping along the flap's outer edges to help increase visibility when making moves during the night.

Since it's a messenger bag, the Boa Courier is designed to be slung over your shoulder. Accordingly, its seatbelt nylon shoulder strap runs across your chest in a manner that allows the bag to hang over your back in a 45-degree angle. A removable shoulder pad can be fastened to this strap to increase its overall comfort. There's also a removable "crossbody strap" that supposedly improves stability by running under your armpit to connect the shoulder strap to an extra buckle on the bag's bottom portion. I found this feature unnecessary, though, and ditched it early on. Although the thought of my bag dangling from a weird angle initially freaked me out, two sturdy plastic buckles kept it securely closed. While I'd choose buckles over Velcro any day, it may not be your cup of tea if you like buttons or zippers.

Despite its compact size, the Boa Courier boasts ample interior storage space by virtue of its many compartments. The main compartment houses a dedicated laptop sleeve that closes over your system with a thick Velcro strap. Between its dense plush padding and snug fit, your laptop feels secure. The rest of the main compartment, meanwhile, is made from a soft herringbone nylon material that protects your gadgets from getting scratched. Here, you'll also find a pen holder and a smartphone compartment. An external zippered pocket beneath the bag's flap serves as a storage pouch for miscellany. On the opposite end of the Boa Courier, a rear external sleeve can hold thin materials like magazines and loose papers. This section also sports a key ring that can conveniently be removed via a sliding buckle mechanism. Nearby, you'll also find a single briefcase handle for carrying the Boa Courier by your side. While two handles would have made more sense, the handle nevertheless feels durable enough to transport a heavy load.

The interior of the Boa Courier also houses a metal-framed Terralinq serial tag, which allows Boa Courier owners to register the unique serial number on the Booq website. In the event of losing the bag, the finder can enter said number on the site, and Booq will in turn contact the original owner and assist in its eventual return. It's a nice idea, in theory at least.

I put the Boa Courier to the test by using it as my primary bag for two full weeks, a period that entailed frenetically zipping between crowded trains and some bicycle riding. In both instances, I stashed my usual necessities inside, like my 13-inch MacBook Pro, a bottle of water, an umbrella, a book, and (in one instance), a six-pack. Throughout, the Boa Courier comfortably rested on my back, and its shoulder strap allowed it hew close enough to my body so it didn't jut out and bump into others on crowded trains. Thanks to its compact size, I was able to deftly swing the Boa Courier in front of me and sit in those rare instances that I got a seat. Moreover, the Boa Courier never lost its shape or sagged, an attribute that became apparent when, at one point, the train's doors closed onto the bag and I had yank it out. Much to my surprise, the Boa Courier took this unscripted stress test in stride.

Even while riding a bike, the Boa Courier never felt burdensome. Thanks to the semi-vertical angle that it rested on my back, it never bumped into my body with my every movement?one of my biggest pet peeves with messenger bags. Moreover, all of my wares consistently remained accessible, making interior navigation and organization feel like second nature. I especially liked the key ring since I was able to grab my keys without having to fiddle with any compartments or zipper every time I needed to enter or leave my apartment.

So the question remains: After two weeks of using the Booq Boa Courier, am I a messenger bag convert? The answer is a resounding "yes." The Boa Courier proved itself to be a highly functional and comfortable way to carry my gear around without compromising my style. For students, commuters, and wavering backpackers looking for a cool way to tote their gear around, it's definitely worth checking out.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/8yHvrL5XrDE/0,2817,2417194,00.asp

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(Home Improvement) Reducing the noise from opening, closing, and ...

Today, 01:46 PM ? #6

Master Member

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Join Date: Feb 2012

Posts: 4,612

Also, what can be done to reduce the noise from the impact of the door closing, and the door mechanism slotting in into its position ?I don't understand.....Cannot picture it....how is that achievable..?

?

Source: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/home-improvement-reducing-noise-opening-closing-locking-door-4156925.html

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Carmel Forest Spa Resort

Want to experience an extraordinary break? Plan your tour to Israel at the Carmel Forest Spa and Resort. Carmel Forest Spa Resort is a luxury hotel resort located in Israel. It is ranked among the best 5 star hotels in Israel. The resort has 126 rooms in total. If youre planning a luxurious retreat far away from the hustle bustle of the city life in Israel then Carmel Forest Spa Resort is the right place to book your accommodation.

The resort welcomes guests with a promise to make their stay comfortable coupled with a wide range of leisure activities, exceptional high dining facilities, recreational and sports activities etc. Keep in mind that it is an adult only hotel with all kinds of modern facilities like air conditioning, wireless internet access, wellness center, spa, sauna, massage, Jacuzzi to offer complete relaxation to the tired souls.

Once youre at the Carmel Forest Spa Resort you can break free putting your regular on hold. There are loads of activities to take part in. This resort is wonderfully located in a scenic landscape which provides a reason to escape, relax and unwind and indulge in every possible opportunity.

From the moment you get into this beautiful hotel resort, you will be greeted to the highest quality standards with excellent detail. There are well furnished and spacious rooms to meet every taste. Each and every room at the hotel has huge balconies with terraces offering the enchanting views of the forest and gardens.

As the name indicates, Carmel Forest is a spa resort. Hence, you can find top of the line spa services that combine well with the well appointed and attractively decorated lodging to accommodate and pamper guests in a nourishing and calm ambiance. The spa treatment rooms provide a range of massages that include body peels, aromatherapy as well as seaweed wraps.

The resort spa is situated on the hillside offering stunning views of the Mediterranean and the pine trees. You can reach the resort in a short drive starting from Haifa. Here you can consult a licensed nutritionist and go out on a thrilling forest walk. You can even enjoy a sesame oil massage on return and then get the meal prepared with all organic ingredients.

After spending an entire day in sightseeing, you can enjoy a refreshing and enjoyable swim in the spacious pools at the spa resort. Nonetheless, theres a fashionable restaurant at the resort which serves a range of admirable local and international dishes for lunch, dinner and breakfast. Additionally, there is a fashionable bar which provides the right choice of refreshing and tempting snacks and drinks.

Last but not the least, you must also know the other hotel facilities that include wake up service, meeting rooms, data ports, fitness room, in house dining facility, tea or coffee maker, electronic room keys, Sauna, air conditioning, room service, car rental desk, in house bar, business center, mini bar in room, and so on.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Carmel-Forest-Spa-Resort/4512708

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Star Trek: Into Darkness Will Have a NASA Ad for Real-Life Starfleet

Star Trek is every thing we hope space travel can be someday. Maybe we could do without all the universe-threatening disasters, but we're all hoping for a warp drive, or a tricorder, or a replicator. Until then, NASA is carrying the fire, and the 30-second NASA trailer that will play before Star Trek: Into Darkness aims to get you stoked about our current day, real-life Starfleet. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/6LZKvuZ2V8k/star-trek-into-darkness-will-have-a-nasa-ad-for-real+life-starfleet

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Filmmaker who rescued Romanian orphans is killed

ENCINITAS, Calif. (AP) ? A documentary filmmaker known for helping rescue children from squalid Romanian orphanages in the early 1990s was fatally shot following an apparent dispute over the trimming of shrubbery outside his Southern California home, officials said Friday.

John Charles Upton Jr., 56, was found dead Thursday on a dirt path in the yard of his Encinitas home. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said detectives arrested Michael Vilkin, 61, on suspicion of murder. He was being held without bail, pending arraignment Tuesday.

Upton, after learning of the plight of Romanian orphans, publicized the brutal conditions and was instrumental in bringing an estimated two dozen orphans to America for medical care and adoption.

Vilkin, in an interview conducted in county jail, told KGTV in San Diego he fired gunshots in self-defense after Upton menaced him with a gun during a dispute over foliage.

Vilkin said he owns vacant property next to Upton's home, and the two men had a disagreement over trimming shrubs.

"I did not go to him," Vilkin told the station. "He came to me threatening and pulled a gun (on) me."

A statement from the department said a dispute between the two men led to the shooting, which was under investigation.

Upton's brother, Michael Upton, told U-T San Diego that his brother and Vilkin previously argued about trees.

Upton's work in Romania also gained the attention of influential activists, inspiring billionaire philanthropist Richard Branson and actress Jessica Lange to help rescue youngsters from Romania.

Upton went on to create an online network of films about charitable causes.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-03-29-US-Filmmaker-Killed/id-8c6e38d19e4b44dca399cf95c14be9a3

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DNA: How to unravel the tangle

Mar. 29, 2013 ? A chromosome is rarely found in the shape we are used to seeing in biology books, that is to say the typical double rod shape (the X pattern, to put it simply). It is usually "diluted" in the nucleus and creates a bundle that under the microscope appears as a messy tangle. In the last few years such chaos, however, has been "measured" and scientists have unveiled their secret: the genes in the tangle are actually arranged in regions that may perform a functional role.

A research coordinated by the scientists at SISSA of Trieste has now developed and studied a numeric model of the chromosome that supports the experimental data and provides a hypothesis on the bundle's function.

A chromosome spends most of its life "diluted" in the nuclear cytoplasm. To the untrained eye it may look like a randomly entangled thread, yet biologists claim the opposite: although a chaotic component does exist in the bundle, experimental measurements have identified regions that tend to contain specific genes. Thanks to such measurements, researchers have obtained maps of the chromosome in its diluted form, the one in which the DNA transcription processes occur.

Cristian Micheletti, a physicist of SISSA, the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste, has coordinated an international research team -- in which Marco Di Stefano and Angelo Rosa stand out -- that has devised an ingenious method which, on one hand, has allowed to verify the already known experimental measures and, on the other, to find data in support of a theory which explains why the DNA bundle is arranged in regions. "Employing the vast amount of publicly available data on gene expression, we have identified families of genes co-regulated within a chromosome" explains Micheletti. The co-regulated genes codify "in accord," but how such synchronization occurs is a mystery, since often the genes are located very far from one another on the DNA filament. "Two main hypotheses may be considered: either 'messengers' exist that travel back and forth from one gene to the other and coordinate the activity, or the DNA filament folding up inside the tangle brings the genes belonging to the same family physically close."

On the basis of the second assumption Micheletti and his colleagues have used the computer to induce the DNA numeric model to bring the co-regulated genes closer. "The outcome of the simulation has provided a map of chromosome arrangement that is very close to the one obtained through experimentation," explains Micheletti. "Besides, the model has successfully brought closer the genes belonging to the same family, as we had asked for, in 80% of cases, that is without too much effort, which corroborates the validity of the hypothesis and the effectiveness of the simulation."

The article was chosen by PLoS Computational Biology journal as the cover story for the March issue.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Sissa Medialab, via AlphaGalileo.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Marco Di Stefano, Angelo Rosa, Vincenzo Belcastro, Diego di Bernardo, Cristian Micheletti. Colocalization of Coregulated Genes: A Steered Molecular Dynamics Study of Human Chromosome 19. PLoS Computational Biology, 2013; 9 (3): e1003019 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003019

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/5bCOx0FC-Ns/130329124420.htm

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Office-As-A-Service RocketSpace Doubles Real Estate To Accomodate Bigger Startups

Startups around the world are desperate for office space in the San Francisco Bay Area, so tomorrow RocketSpace will announce the lease of a new 50,000 sq. ft. office so it can house startups with up to 60 employees instead of capping them at 30. Along with this RocketSpace Suites project, the "office-as-a-service" plans to lock down another 100,000 sq. ft. spot and open a space in London this year.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Tfc2k1Zk_W4/

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How to Decorate Interiors With High Ceilings

Decorating interiors with high ceilings implies a high dose of creativity. building personality for a room with tall walls is neither difficult, nor more challenging than dealing with common-sized rooms. After all, home space is a gift no matter how you look at it and you should not be reluctant to use it. In this post we will share some tips&tricks to help you out in your upcoming projects. Master these simple guidelines and let your imagination do the rest.

Rule of thirds

Just like in art and photography, visually splitting a wall in three equal parts when decorating will guarantee balance and ultimately, success. From the bottom up, try imagining your room as having three different ?design levels?. You can adorn the first with judges paneling, use the second for paintings and leave the third as it is. This is just a random example; as the photos below will show, the possibilities are endless. Furniture should also be placed within the bottom third. The idea is to create focal points and to diminish the intimidating feel of high ceilings.

Lighting

You don?t have to spend a lot of money on lighting fixtures to give your interiors a special vibe and this is also true when it comes to rooms with high ceilings. But lighting can make a bold statement and you should definitely pay a lot of time and attention to this subject. We noticed lighting spots are very popular these days. We are a fan of chandeliers, as we believe they are a great way to add elegance to a tall living room, kitchen or bedroom. You can also use lighting to subtly divide areas. For example, three chandeliers in the living room can visually separate the lounge area, kitchen and dining space.

Frames, paintings and graphic art

When dealing with high ceilings, paintings are not just optional, they are a must. Why? Because they add life , elegance and nobility. Not all appreciate the soberness of an art gallery effect, so the best idea is to arrange your graphic art the way you want. In order to reduce the overwhelming architectural impression of tall walls, place the paintings at eye level. Otherwise, enjoy the majestic effect of highlighting space through art!

Accent walls

Color is always a good way to accentuate height and help bring drama to the space. By painting a single wall in a bold color, the high ceiling and other unpainted walls will automatically be connected at a different level. The space will get a fresh look and a unique personality.

Curtains

Curtains can add that homey feel a tall space needs so much. You can try models that cover the entire wall, or just two thirds of it (less recommended). White curtains will ensure a breezy feel, red will bring in extra energy and darker hues will add an intriguing sense of drama. Black materials will also contribute to the idea of shrinking the room and make it more cozy, if that is what you are after. For cohesion, be sure to repeat the color of the drapes somewhere else in the space. A patterned design, although a bit more difficult to integrate, will ensure diversity and visual appeal.

Exposed Wooden Beams

We are intrigued (read that pleasantly surprised) by the growing popularity of exposed wooden beams. On a design stage where minimalism and functionality are main actors, it is nice to see elements that bring personality back into the game. But what are the effects of wooden beams in a tall interior? Mainly, they can reduce the scale, making the room feel more comfortable and friendly. Some use fake ceilings to bring the room down, we prefer this solution instead. As you can see in the photo below, the rest of the interior does not have to be decorated in a rustic style. Wooden beams can be successfully integrated in a contemporary interior as well.

Texture for the ceilings

Just like with an accent wall, you can make the ceiling stand out by using a special texture. In the example below, the wood adds warmth and makes the room feels smaller than it actually is. It also does a great job at contrasting the walls and floor and creating a sense of disruption.

Things to Avoid

There are a few things you should try to avoid in order to maintain balance in your high-ceiling interior. Do not clutter the room using many small items, like tiny furniture objects, small works of art or various decorating pieces. Try instead to use less larger artifacts. Paintings should always be placed at eye-level. If you want to cover the space above eye-level, bring in some abstract sculptures or a wall clock. With these being said, we wish you a fun time decorating. Please leave your comments below with more tips from you own experiences.

Source: http://freshome.com/2013/03/29/how-to-decorate-interiors-with-high-ceilings/

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Kenyan separatists deny being behind deadly resort attack

By Joseph Akwiri

MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - A Kenyan separatist movement denied on Friday accusations by the authorities that it was behind a raid in a coastal resort that killed eight people, although it said former members may have been involved.

Armed police officers shot dead six attackers and two policemen were killed in Thursday's early morning raid on a casino popular with tourists in Malindi. Officials blamed the banned Mombasa Republican Council (MRC).

A series of attacks blamed on the movement have damaged prospects for growth and investment along Kenya's coast, a major tourist draw, and in Mombasa, an economically vital port city.

"Police should stop using the MRC as a scapegoat for failing to protect Kenyans," senior MRC member Omar Bebo told Reuters. He said that criminal gangs "have taken advantage of our sour relationship with government to cause trouble".

"Some of these gangs are formed by splinter groups of youths who decamped from the MRC because we rejected their call to engage in violence. Those are the people police should be chasing," he said by telephone.

The MRC feeds off local discontent largely based on long-held grievances over land and frustration at the perceived economic marginalization of the coast by the central government.

Police suspected the group targeted the Italian-owned casino in order to steal cash to fund their activities. Four suspects were arrested and dozens of others fled.

"We know we have some youth who decided to ignore our call for peace, and might also be involved in these attacks, but we told them they are on their own," Omar said. "MRC is not responsible for their actions, and we have disowned them."

On Thursday night police increased security around a police station in Kilifi, west of Mombasa, another MRC stronghold, saying they received reports that MRC youths planned a raid.

Beatrice Gachago, area police chief, told Reuters that she had ordered more night patrols after receiving the intelligence reports. "We are not taking anything for granted," she said.

(Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kenyan-separatists-deny-behind-deadly-resort-attack-115155534.html

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Son of pro wrestler Ric Flair found dead

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ? Authorities say the son of professional wrestler Ric Flair has been found dead in a North Carolina hotel room.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police says officers were called to a hotel on the city's south side around 10:30 a.m. Friday. When they arrived, they found the body of 25-year-old Reid Fliehr, who also was a wrestler.

A statement from police says there are no signs of foul play, and that the cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner's office.

Flair's agent released a statement Friday describing Reid as "an incredible son, brother, friend, and professional wrestler."

Ric Flair's real name is Richard Morgan Flair. The peroxide-blond wrestled for some 40 years and also was known as The Nature Boy.

The 64-year-old won many pro wrestling titles including in the WWE.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/son-pro-wrestler-ric-flair-found-dead-201734268.html

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D-Link ships its AC1200 802.11ac WiFi router / thermos doppelganger

True, D-Link's AC1200 may better resemble the container keeping your coffee hot at work than a traditional WiFi router, but it remains a rare take on networking design that's frankly appreciated. We're glad to report, then, that it's shipping to stores. The device (seen in the middle) is the more affordable of D-Link's two 2013-era 802.11ac routers at its $130 street price, keeping costs in check by peaking at at more modest 867Mbps speed with the new standard and 300Mbps on old-fashioned 802.11n. It still dishes out wireless on either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands, offers wired connections to four gigabit Ethernet devices and shares content from drives attached to its lone USB 3.0 port. When devices like the HTC One and Galaxy S 4 are arriving with 802.11ac built-in, we'd say the AC1200 is a timely solution -- just don't pack it with your office lunch.

Filed under: Peripherals, Networking

Comments

Source: Newegg

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/d-link-ships-its-ac1200-802-11ac-wifi-router/

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Ten years and 10,000 fewer premature deaths later

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg marked the tenth anniversary on Wednesday of his ban on smoking in bars and restaurants with a report saying the ban and subsequent anti-smoking measures had prevented 10,000 premature deaths.

"Ten years ago when New York City prohibited smoking in restaurants and bars, many predicted the end of the hospitality, restaurant and tourism industries," Bloomberg said in a statement.

"Yet ten years later, fewer New Yorkers are smoking, we are living longer, our industries are thriving and nobody longs for a return to smoke-filled bars and restaurants."

Critics of the move feared banning smoking would hurt the restaurant and bar business, but the Health Department report said there are now some 6,000 more restaurants and bars in the city than there were a decade ago.

The city's Smoke-Free Air Act came into effect a little over a year into Bloomberg's first term as mayor in 2003 and prohibited smoking inside bars, restaurants and most workplaces.

The following year, the city began providing free nicotine replacement therapy to smokers trying to quit and in 2011 expanded the smoking ban to the city's parks and beaches.

According to the report released on Wednesday, the proportion of adult smokers dropped by about a third to 15 percent in 2011 from 21.5 percent in 2002. The report, released by the city's Health Department, also said the proportion of youths under age 18 who smoke dropped by about half to 8.5 percent.

Bloomberg's tenure, which will end this year, has been marked by his efforts to improve New Yorkers' health by trying to induce them to eat less salt, trans fats and calories in general, among other measures.

Bloomberg has been criticized by some as paternalistic but his efforts have coincided with an increase in New Yorkers' life expectancy, including a decline in tobacco-related deaths.

Bloomberg's attempt to limit the size of sugary drinks sold in the city was derailed this month only hours before the new rules were to take effect when a judge ruled that they were "arbitrary and capricious". The city is appealing that decision.

A week later, Bloomberg announced his plan to require shops to hide cigarettes and tobacco products from public view, arguing that would shield young people from marketing efforts.

Some shop owners and cigarette manufacturers have criticized the plan as unnecessary extra regulation that would infringe the free speech provision of the U.S. Constitution.

Bloomberg also proposed a minimum price of $10.50 for a pack of cigarettes, in the hope that some smokers would find the habit too expensive to maintain. The two bills are now before the city council.

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature death in the city, according to the Health Department.

Ronald Bayer, a professor of public health at Columbia University, called Bloomberg's health initiatives a "major achievement" and said his efforts to make smoking less socially acceptable were an effective and legitimate use of his office.

He said it remains an open question how much further government could go to discourage smokers to quit.

(Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

(In next-to-last paragraph, this story corrects spelling of professor's name to Bayer, not Beyer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-city-marks-tenth-anniversary-smoking-ban-192916192.html

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/zm0z3NJnvvQ/story01.htm

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Palestinian journalist gets jail term for Abbas insult

By Noah Browning

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A Palestinian court sentenced a local journalist to a year in jail on Thursday over a picture posted on Facebook that was deemed insulting to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The ruling against Mamdouh Hamamreh, who works for the al-Quds TV channel in Bethlehem, is the second this year in which Palestinians have been given jail terms over caricatures of the president.

Journalists and media watchdogs, saying Hamamreh was only "tagged" in the photo and did not create it, criticized the ruling and curbs on media freedom by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

The offending image juxtaposed Abbas beside a similar-looking man who plays the part of a collaborator with French colonial forces in an old Syrian television drama.

"They resemble each other in everything," a caption read.

Many Palestinians perceive Abbas as too conciliatory to Israel and resent coordination between Israeli and Palestinian security forces overseen by Abbas.

Palestinian rights groups were critical of the ruling.

"(Hamamreh) didn't even publish the picture. When images online are criminalised, it's a very serious violation of basic rights of expression," criminalizedaid Riham Abu Aita of the Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms.

"We don't have a king, we have a president," she said.

"This issue is between the prosecutor and the court, and the president has nothing to do with its proceedings," Hassan al-Ouri, legal adviser to Abbas, told Reuters of the Hamamreh case.

A court in the northern West Bank city of Nablus in February sentenced a local man to a year in prison for creating a picture of Abbas to make him look like a football player, and entitled it "the new striker for Real Madrid".

Anas Awad, 26, denied he had intended any offence and the president promptly pardoned him.

(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-journalist-gets-jail-term-abbas-insult-192131038.html

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Deal of the Day ? Alienware X51 Core i7 mini Gaming PC with GeForce GTX 660 and Blu-ray

LogicBUY’s Deal for Friday is the configurable?Alienware X51 Core i7-3770 “Ivy Bridge” 3.4GHz Quad-core mini gaming PC for $999. ?Included features: 8GB RAM 2TB SATA III hard drive and Blu-ray (slot-loading DVD burner) 1.5GB GeForce GTX 660 graphics USB 3.0 Wireless-N AlienFX System Lighting Technology $1349 – $250 instant savings – $100 coupon code?= $999 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/29/deal-of-the-day-alienware-x51-core-i7-mini-gaming-pc-with-geforce-gtx-660-and-blu-ray/

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NYPD to cops: Keep your Facebook posts professional

By Dave Warner (Reuters) - The winner of one of the biggest Powerball jackpots of all time owes $29,000 in overdue child support payments, the Passaic County, New Jersey, sheriff's office said on Thursday. Pedro Quezada, 44, a county resident who is married and the father of five children ages 5 to 23, was the sole winner of a $338 million jackpot on Saturday. Because he chose the lump sum option, instead of annual payments over 30 years, he will actually receive $211 million, lottery officials said on Thursday. Officials said that is the third-largest lump sum payment in Powerball history. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nypd-tells-officers-keep-social-media-clean-172939178.html

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Clearwire taps Sprint funds, boosting deal prospects

(Reuters) - Wireless service provider Clearwire Corp said it would draw on $80 million in financing from Sprint Nextel Corp , which is seeking to buy it, reducing the chances for rival bidder Dish Network Corp .

Clearwire, which is already majority owned by Sprint, said on Wednesday that it would continue talks with Dish but that it has not changed its recommendation in favor of its agreement with No. 3 U.S. mobile provider Sprint.

"We anticipate filing our definitive proxy in the coming weeks," Clearwire Chief Executive Erik Prusch said in a filing.

Clearwire's latest comments did not appear to bode well for its shareholders' demands for a higher price tag than Sprint's $2.97 per-share offer or for Dish's counter-offer. The satellite company run by billionaire founder Charlie Ergen had said that its $3.30 per-share bid for Clearwire was conditional on Clearwire not drawing on Sprint's convertible debt offer.

"Every month that they draw down on that $80 million gives Sprint more stock and is another nail in the coffin of a prospective Dish deal," said D.A. Davidson analyst Donna Jaegers. Dish was not immediately available for comment.

Many Clearwire shareholders said they were unhappy with the Sprint offer, which would need approval from the majority of Clearwire's minority investors.

Sprint's December deal to buy out Clearwire included the option for the smaller company to draw on $800 million in convertible debt in 10 monthly installments.

Clearwire, which also drew on the financing in March, had declined the offer in January and February because it was considering the Dish offer.

Clearwire said on Wednesday that it has not made any decisions about whether it would accept future installments of the Sprint money.

It did not explain on Wednesday how it could continue talks with Dish despite its apparent flouting of Dish's condition that it reject's Sprint financing.

The financing is in the form of debt that will be convertible to Clearwire shares in the event that its shareholders vote against Sprint's offer.

So every installment that Clearwire accepts would further weaken its minority shareholders' clout in the future.

However, Clearwire's shares were still well above the Sprint offer price at $3.24 when the Nasdaq closed on Thursday, indicating that many shareholders were still hoping for a better deal.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew, additional reporting by Nicola Leske; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Maureen Bavdek and Richard Chang)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/clearwire-taps-sprint-funds-boosting-deal-prospects-210741860--sector.html

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Beavers help contain fuel spill, recover slowly

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Talk about unlikely heroes.

A group of at least six beavers at a Utah bird refuge have emerged as key players in helping contain a fuel leak that left half of them with severe burns. The Chevron Corp. fuel spill leaked about 27,000 gallons of crude oil into soil and marshes at Willard Bay State Park last week after a split in a Salt Lake City-to- Spokane, Wash. pipeline.

The beavers' dam blocked a hefty portion of diesel from rolling onto the bay, though it's uncertain exactly how much, officials said. Three of the beavers were rescued earlier this week, and three more that were rescued Tuesday night are being cared for under a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah program.

"That dam absolutely saved the bay," said Dalyn Erickson, a wildlife specialist running the program. The dam held fuel in place and kept it from going any further, she said.

The beavers that were part of the group rescued Tuesday night had burns on their skin and eyes, and only patches of fur left on their bodies. Erickson said she worries that some of the newly rescued beavers might not survive the fallout from the spill. It's unknown whether any other beavers might remain near the fuel leak site and have yet to be rescued, officials said.

One of the new beavers, a head-strong mother, is resisting the three-a-day cleanings with Dawn dish soap. So Erickson and other workers had to sedate her. Workers brought in more than 40 large bottles of the soap to scrub the beavers clean during their hour-long baths.

The three animals rescued earlier in the week arrived at the center slicked with fuel but burn-free. They now show signs of recovery, Erickson said. For example, they're rubbing their bellies in an effort to groom themselves. One of them can't stop eating, Erickson says, a sign that he's getting stronger. Another is breathing gustily because the diesel burnt his nostrils. The last one is still exhausted, dozing off during bath time.

Protecting other animals and plants is part of the beavers' daily routine, said Phil Douglass, spokesman for the Department of Wildlife Resources. Beavers are natural homemakers, he said, crediting beaver dams, or "lodges," for drawing moose to Utah because moose like still waters for drinking. The dams also keep the water cool for trout and make surrounding areas healthier by inviting more plant growth.

The leak is Chevron's third in Utah in the last three years. In June 2010, a spill involved more than 30,000 gallons of crude oil near Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City. And in December 2010, a leak near the same site involved about 21,000 gallons.

John Whitehead of the Division of Water Quality said trace amounts of fuel seeped into the ground, then bled into the bay, but did not flow overtop the water. The state is studying water samples to see how the spill could affect people, animals and birds around the refuge.

Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the spill.

The Federal office dealing with pipelines has barred Chevron from reopening the pipeline until it gets government approval.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/beavers-help-contain-fuel-spill-124319171.html

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Boston Public Schools' prekindergarten program boosts children's skills

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Mancoll
smancoll@srcd.org
202-289-7905
Society for Research in Child Development

Boston Public Schools' prekindergarten program is substantially improving children's readiness to start kindergarten, according to a new study of more than 2,000 children enrolled there. The program uses research-based curricula and coaching of teachers, is taught primarily by masters-level teachers, and is open to any child regardless of family income.

The study, out of Harvard University, appears in the journal Child Development. Some of the study's findings on the effects of the program are the largest found to date in evaluations of large-scale public prekindergarten programs.

Researchers found that the program substantially improved children's language, literacy, math, executive function (the ability to regulate, control, and manage one's thinking and actions), and emotional development skills citywide. Children in the program were 4 and 5 years old and from racially, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds. While all students who participated benefited, the improvements were especially strong for Latino children.

Preschool has been shown to help prepare children for kindergarten and is an increasing priority among federal, state, and local policymakers. But many preschool programs struggle to attain good instructional quality.

"We can draw several important lessons from our findings about factors that support quality in prekindergarten," notes Christina Weiland, incoming assistant professor at the University of Michigan's School of Education, who was at Harvard when she led the study.

First, the combination of explicit, evidence-based curricula (in language/literacy and math) and in-classroom coaching of teachers as part of professional development likely played a major role in improving student outcomes. Investing in such quality supports for prekindergarten teachers may lead to gains in students' school readiness, the study found.

Second, implementing consistent math, language, and literacy curricula might build children's executive function skills. "Our results suggest that curricula in these areas may also improve such domains as executive functioning, even without directly targeting them," according to Weiland. "Interestingly, research shows that these kinds of skillswhich reflect early brain development, the ability to focus, and behaviorare critical to children's success down the road."

Third, students in the program also may have benefited from having more mixed-income peers than is typical in most public prekindergarten programs, which are means tested and therefore tend to include mostly low-income students.

"Given the particularly large impacts for Latinos, a group that tends to be underenrolled in preschool programs, efforts to increase the enrollment of Latino children in high-quality prekindergarten programs such as the one studied here may be beneficial," Weiland adds.

###

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[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Mancoll
smancoll@srcd.org
202-289-7905
Society for Research in Child Development

Boston Public Schools' prekindergarten program is substantially improving children's readiness to start kindergarten, according to a new study of more than 2,000 children enrolled there. The program uses research-based curricula and coaching of teachers, is taught primarily by masters-level teachers, and is open to any child regardless of family income.

The study, out of Harvard University, appears in the journal Child Development. Some of the study's findings on the effects of the program are the largest found to date in evaluations of large-scale public prekindergarten programs.

Researchers found that the program substantially improved children's language, literacy, math, executive function (the ability to regulate, control, and manage one's thinking and actions), and emotional development skills citywide. Children in the program were 4 and 5 years old and from racially, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds. While all students who participated benefited, the improvements were especially strong for Latino children.

Preschool has been shown to help prepare children for kindergarten and is an increasing priority among federal, state, and local policymakers. But many preschool programs struggle to attain good instructional quality.

"We can draw several important lessons from our findings about factors that support quality in prekindergarten," notes Christina Weiland, incoming assistant professor at the University of Michigan's School of Education, who was at Harvard when she led the study.

First, the combination of explicit, evidence-based curricula (in language/literacy and math) and in-classroom coaching of teachers as part of professional development likely played a major role in improving student outcomes. Investing in such quality supports for prekindergarten teachers may lead to gains in students' school readiness, the study found.

Second, implementing consistent math, language, and literacy curricula might build children's executive function skills. "Our results suggest that curricula in these areas may also improve such domains as executive functioning, even without directly targeting them," according to Weiland. "Interestingly, research shows that these kinds of skillswhich reflect early brain development, the ability to focus, and behaviorare critical to children's success down the road."

Third, students in the program also may have benefited from having more mixed-income peers than is typical in most public prekindergarten programs, which are means tested and therefore tend to include mostly low-income students.

"Given the particularly large impacts for Latinos, a group that tends to be underenrolled in preschool programs, efforts to increase the enrollment of Latino children in high-quality prekindergarten programs such as the one studied here may be beneficial," Weiland adds.

###

---

[ | 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/2013-03/sfri-bps032113.php

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