Women May Have Natural Defense Against Common STD - Health ...

THURSDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) ? Women appear to have a natural defense against the world?s most common sexually transmitted infection, a new study says.

This natural protective barrier consists mainly of lactic acid bacteria ? called lactobacilli.

The finding appears online May 29 in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The discovery could lead to new treatments for ?trich,? which affects an estimated 174 million women and men around the world each year, according to a journal news release.

Trich is caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis or T. vaginalis. Symptoms of the infection include pain, irritation and discharge. About 50 percent of all people who have this condition, however, don?t develop symptoms and are unaware that they are infected.

Researchers Augusto Simoes-Barbosa, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and colleagues examined how easily three different strains of T. vaginalis bound to vaginal cells. They repeated the process when nine different types of lactobacilli were also present.

In the vast majority of instances, lactobacilli prevented the parasite from binding to the cells. Some types of lactobacilli were better at preventing the parasite from binding to the cells than others, the study authors pointed out.

?This study reinforces the important role that our microbiomes play in health, infection and disease,? they wrote. ?Understanding the role that Lactobacillus plays in T. vaginalis infection/disease might reveal new therapeutic approaches, which include taking advantage of the natural probiotic activity of lactobacilli.?

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about trich infections.

Source: http://news.health.com/2013/05/30/women-may-have-natural-defense-against-common-std/

jobs act greg mortenson jim marshall died 2013 toyota avalon the secret life of bees full moon aubrey o day

Ted Cruz?s thoughtful approach to immigration reform (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/309470699?client_source=feed&format=rss

Gabriel Aubry cyber monday deals small business saturday small business saturday best cyber monday deals best cyber monday deals macaulay culkin

New York security guard accused of threatening to blow up high school

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A high school security guard accused of threatening to blow up his school in suburban Nyack, New York, was ordered to court next month to face criminal charges, police said on Wednesday.

Kenneth Carter, 51, was arrested at Nyack High School last Wednesday after a colleague told the school administration he vowed an attack, said a spokeswoman for the Clarkstown Police Department. He was apparently angry about an earlier disciplinary incident at the school, she said.

"I'm going to go home and get my guns and blow this place up," Carter was quoted by the colleague as saying, the police spokeswoman said.

School security guards in Nyack are unarmed and Carter, who has a gun license, did not have a weapon at the time of his arrest, she said.

After a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in neighboring Connecticut last December, the National Rifle Association called for armed guards to be placed in every school, a proposal that has been criticized by gun-control advocates.

Carter, who was released on bail after his arraignment last week, did not respond to calls to his home in Nyack on Wednesday, and it was not clear whether he has retained a lawyer.

Nyack Union Free School District, the local school board, published a message on its website saying that "the matter was dealt with swiftly, immediately and appropriately and at no point did we believe that our students were placed in harm's way or there was an imminent threat of danger to them."

It was not clear if Carter had been suspended or fired since the arrest, and messages left with the board were not returned on Wednesday.

Carter was due to return to court on June 17. He has been charged with making a terroristic threat, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-security-guard-accused-threatening-blow-high-school-232955183.html

jane goodall saturday night fever glamping forgetting sarah marshall taraji p. henson shuttle discovery bonnie raitt

Detroit automakers and higher education: The Henry Ford Trade ...

Henry Ford Trade School students, 1946. Photo courtesy Ford Media.

The recent announcement of the GM Student Corps, a summer job and mentoring program that will provide 110 Detroit area high school students with mentoring by GM retirees and GM interns, evokes memories of a time when at least two of the Big Three in Detroit went much further in engaging and training thousands of young people for careers in the automotive industry, going so far as to establish accredited schools and colleges to fulfill that purpose.

The Henry Ford Trade School was established in 1916 as a non-profit high school by Henry Ford.

The stated purpose was to give poor boys an opportunity to not just learn marketable skills but also help support their families. I say boys because it was not a coeducational school. Girls did attend the Greenfield Village Schools that Ford set up as part of the Edison Institute, the predecessor of the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Henry Ford would periodically visit both schools. Not only was the Trade School tuition free, the boys also received stipends in the form of cash scholarships. Of course, the fact that the Trade School helped provide Ford Motor Company with trained draftsmen and technicians was completely intentional. The school was started with just six students and one instructor, but by 1931, there were 135 faculty members teaching 2,800 students. Ford equipped the three acre campus with modern shop equipment so the students could learn technical skills part of the day and a regular high school curriculum during the other part. It was a rigorous school, the curriculum for freshmen in 1927 included English, Mechanical Drawing, Civics, Auto Mechanics, Mechanical Science, Shop Arithmetic and Elementary Chemistry.

Henry Ford changed the world, but he never really left the farm of his boyhood. As America?s industries grew, in no small part due to Ford himself, people moved from rural areas to the cities in search of employment. Ford felt that much was lost in that migration, including a lot of practical knowledge needed to keep a farm going. He thought that the Trade School would teach the boys to use their hands as well as their heads, as Ford, a self-taught ?engineer,? visualized himself doing in his youth. The Henry Ford Trade School was just one of 55 educational facilities that Mr. Ford founded in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Operating as an independent school for over 30 years, in 1947 the curriculum was upgraded and the school was accredited to award high school diplomas. Before then, the 75 percent or so of Trade School students who wanted a diploma finished the requirements at the night schools then offered by public school systems.

In 1952, the Henry Ford Trade School went out of existence after merging with Dearborn Junior College, formerly Fordson Junior College, an outgrowth of Fordson High School. That probably reflected the fact that, by then, vocational training was part of the curriculum in many public high schools, so FoMoCo didn?t necessarily have to train its own technicians. Dearborn Junior College is today known as Henry Ford Community College. In its 35 years of existence, the Henry Ford Trade School graduated more than 8,000 students, many of whom went on to careers at Ford Motor Company. The Henry Ford Trade School?s original building, at 15100 Woodward, in Highland Park near Ford?s plant in that Detroit enclave, was later leased to the Lawrence Institute of Technology, now Lawrence Technological University, in suburban Southfield. Some of Detroit?s most illustrious engineers, like John Z. DeLorean, have been graduates of Lawrence.

Ford Motor Company may have effectively had its own high school, but General Motors operated its own engineering college, the General Motors Institute, usually known as GMI, today?s Kettering University. The institution was founded as The School of Automobile Trades in Flint by local industrialists in need of trained engineers and managers. Flint predated Detroit as the center of the nascent American auto industry. Four years later, it was renamed the Flint Institute of Technology, with more than 600 students taking part in their four-year cooperative education program. Co-op ed ? going to school part of the year while also working in the industry ? continues to be part of Kettering U?s curriculum.

Having doubled employment in just five years, General Motors was having a difficult time finding sufficient numbers of engineers and managers, so in 1926, the corporation took over financial support of The School of Automobile Trades, renaming it the General Motors Institute of Technology. GMI became an important part of the General Motors corporate culture, training engineers and, perhaps more importantly, managers, in the GM way. In 1945, GMI became accredited to grant academic degrees.

High school students with an aptitude or interest in engineering saw GMI as a great opportunity to get an education with almost guaranteed job prospects at the big automaker after graduation. Compared to many college students of the time, GMI students had some money to spend, since they were paid for their co-op work at the automaker. They went through a four-week rotation, spending a month in class followed by a month of co-op work at some manner of GM facility or office. A personal account of what it was like being a GMI co-op student working for General Motors can be found at the GM Heritage site. The school produced some of GM?s most successful engineers, like Ed Cole, father of the Chevrolet small-block V-8, and Elliot ?Pete? Estes, who championed the Camaro and later was president of General Motors.

Times change and as with the Henry Ford Trade School, by the 1980s America?s educational system had certainly caught up with the needs of American industry for engineers. In 1982, GM divested ownership of GMI. The cooperative education relationship between GM and the school was maintained, though, and expanded to other employers. In 1988, the school was renamed in honor of Charles Kettering, GM?s first chief engineer. In 2009, while General Motors was going through its bankruptcy, as a cost-cutting move it cut the co-op positions offered to Kettering students by more than half, from 173 to 73. Now that the industry appears to have recovered, with automotive engineers currently in high demand, it would be surprising if GM hasn?t restored some of those co-op positions for Kettering students.

The General Motors Institute was not GM?s only educational enterprise. GMI may have identified and trained engineers and managers, but it was the Fisher Body Craftsman?s Guild that identified talented designers. Starting in the 1930s, more than 8 million boys (and some girls) competed for college scholarships in the Guild?s regional and national model building competitions. At one point, the Boy Scouts of America was the only youth organization that had more members. The Guild was started when automotive styling was in its infancy. In fact, in the early years, Guild competitors had to reproduce the horse-drawn Napoleonic coach that was the Fisher Body logo. Soon, though, the Guild was expanded to include original designs, concept cars of the future, the sorts of models we?re now familiar with from student design competitions. When the Fisher Body Craftsman?s Guild was started there was really no formal school where students could learn automotive design. The Pratt Institute in New York City taught industrial design, but that was about it. Eventually, though, college level art and design schools like the Art Center College of Design in California or Detroit?s Center for Creative Studies (now the College for Creative Studies) started offering potential car designers professional training. As with the Ford Trade School and GMI, when outside educational institutions started to offer the specialized training that the auto industry needed, the need for in-house schools and educational programs for young people went away. While it lasted, though, the Craftsman?s Guild was very successful, and not just as a scholarship program. At least 60 Guild awardees went on to professional careers as automotive stylists or industrial designers. Chuck Jordan, who later headed GM Design, was the 1947 national winner.

Today, if a large car company is going to sponsor some kind of youth educational program, it is? likely to be something with a wider scope than just technical training, like GM?s Student Corps or the Henry Ford Academy charter school, co-sponsored by Ford and the Henry Ford Museum, housed in what I believe is the old Ford Laboratories building on the Museum?s campus. Technical training activities are more likely to be something like the Chrysler Academy School of Technical Training. The Chrysler Academy is the company?s umbrella organization for dealer technician training, joint programs with colleges and private trade schools, and job placement for military veterans. Chrysler?s College Automotive Program works with 27 community colleges and universities and it is a cooperative program that, like GMI/Kettering, rotates between class work and practical work, with internships at sponsoring Chrysler dealers as students fulfill the requirements for an associates degree in automotive service technology. Chrysler provides accreditation, instructor training and test equipment.

Author?s note: I?m trying to track down any similar programs that Chrysler might have operated during the era of the Henry Ford Trade School and the General Motors Institute. If you know of any such training, educational or youth programs operated by Chrysler or its divisions, please let us know in the comments.

Source: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/05/29/detroit-automakers-and-higher-education-the-henry-ford-trade-school-and-general-motors-institute/

Wade Robson powerball numbers American Idol 2013 mega millions Plumber american idol memphis grizzlies

AP PHOTOS: Americans mark Memorial Day

Americans honored fallen service members on Memorial Day with President Barack Obama leading the nation's commemoration by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Dozens of ceremonies were held across the nation to honor Americans killed in wars.

Here is a gallery of photos from across the U.S.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-americans-mark-memorial-day-165830680.html

blake lively serena williams Espn Fantasy Football Grandparents Day 2012 army wives 60 minutes go daddy

Cambridge Audio Minx Air 100

The Cambridge Audio Minx Air 100 is the smaller of the company's two new wireless speakers. It's not quite as stellar a performer as the larger Minx Air 200, though; not just because of the smaller size, but because the $449 (direct) Minx 100 makes a few compromises sonically that similarly priced competitors don't. Just make sure that you're willing to sacrifice a little bass and overall volume capability for what amounts to beautifully detailed sound you might not expect from this category of speaker.

Design, Controls, and Remote
The Minx Air 100 measures 7.2 by 13.9 by 4.6 inches (HWD) and weighs nine pounds. It features the same smooth white lacquered finish and textured silver accent band as the Minx Air 200. The two speakers share a lot of the same design and setup features, so we're sharing some of the same material between these two reviews; feel free to read the review of your choice, depending on which model you consider.

As with the larger model, the overall design errs on the side of understated, perhaps a bit too much so, but it'll look good in just about any modern d?cor. The acoustically-damped enclosure is finished in a smooth white gloss plastic, with a nicely textured silver accent band around the front panel edge and a gray cloth grille. It's not as classy as a Bowers & Wilkins product, style-wise, but it otherwise looks the part. Behind the unit, there's a nifty handle built into the injection molded plastic; as a result, carrying the Minx Air 100 is easy.

The top panel features two sets of five gray rubber buttons, on the left side and right. The left side contains five number presets, while the right side contains Bluetooth, Analog Input, Volume Up/Down, and Power buttons. The back panel includes a power port, a hardware bass level control, a WPS button, an Ethernet port, a micro USB port for servicing the unit, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, and a set of stereo RCA inputs. The power supply is built into the enclosure, so you only need the included white two-prong AC power cord; many speakers like this require a separate inline power supply and a semi-proprietary cable that's difficult to replace if it's lost or damaged.

The flat remote is a small, thin, black plastic slab with six rows of three buttons, including Volume Up/Down, Mute, Bluetooth, Bass Up/Down, and 10 Radio Presets. The buttons are bubbled plastic membrane keys that are easy to press one-handed, but they're not backlit. The speaker responds quickly to button presses.

When you power on the Minx Air, an LED on the back flashes orange and green. To set up AirPlay, you have to connect to the Minx Air's temporary Wi-Fi hotspot. Once you do, you type 192.168.1.1 into your browser, select your Wi-Fi network's SSID from the list, and type in your password and click Apply. The Minx Air will save the configuration, and your own PC will see the Minx Air hotspot disappear, meaning that it should automatically reconnect to your existing home network. If all is well, you'll be able to select the Minx Air from your iOS device. This setup is functional, though we prefer the streamlined, mobile app-based process used in the Editors' Choice Bowers & Wilkins A5.

That said, Cambridge Audio makes available a free Minx Air iOS app, which I tested using an iPhone 5. The app lets you control the device as if the iPhone were a remote, as well as find and store Internet radio stations from a selection of over 20,000. It also includes something you can't get via the front panel or hardware remote: 10 DSP presets for modifying the speaker's frequency response curve.

The Minx Air 100 takes about 20 seconds to fully power on. There's also a fair amount of background hiss, which can be a problem in quiet rooms when listening to quieter passages of classical music at higher volumes. At idle, the Minx Air 100 consumes less than half a watt of power from the wall, just like its larger sibling.

Performance and Conclusions
Inside is a 100-watt class-D amplifier driving a pair of 4-inch balanced mode radiator drivers. Contrast this to the larger Minx Air 200, which employs 2.25-inch drivers and a separate 6.5-inch subwoofer. Still, the Minx Air 100 doesn't distort, even on tracks containing deep bass played at top volumes. Rage Against The Machine's "Fistful of Steel" sounded surprisingly punchy and aggressive. As I turned up the volume, it continued to sound smooth, but the bass punch was lacking, and this is a track with a loud kick drum and bass guitar. I turned up the bass, but then began to heard compression in the entire track; all of the instruments ducked down a bit with each kick drum hit. Cambridge Audio swears there's no processing going on, so I'm going to guess it's just hitting some kind of maximum output limit and dipping ever so slightly each time.

Less-aggressive music fared much better. On Bill Callahan's "Drover," his silky voice came through clearly, with not as much chestiness as I've heard on other speakers. There's a bit too much sibilance and emphasis on the plosives (p-word sounds) in his voice, although I wouldn't call it harsh; it's just more prominent than usual. On the other hand, the Minx Air 100 barely rendered the continuous eighth-note kick drum kits; if I hadn't heard the song before, I wouldn't have realized they were there, or would have at least thought they were a different drum than the kick.

The acoustic guitar pick work came through beautifully, though, as it did with Ani DiFranco's more aggressive playing on "Knuckle Down." You can hear plenty of detail coming from the strings, but there's also a sense of less excitement here than I've heard through other systems. I also couldn't hear the acoustic bass on this track particularly well, at least not with sufficient body. Turning up the bass control to the two-o-clock position helped.

Queen of the Stone Age's "Little Sister" sounded good as long as I left the bass turned up. It's a fast song with prominent bass and electric guitars; the Minx Air 100 managed to deliver sufficient detail without the quarter-note wood block sticking out too much. Flunk's "Indian Rope Trick," an electronic trip-hop track, was perhaps the least impressive on the Minx 100, thanks to the deficient low-end extension. It also sounded a little flat and unexciting; the Minx Air 100's overly-transparent and natural presentation sometimes sounds a little bland with heavily processed music.

All told, the Minx Air 100 is a fine wireless speaker, particularly for classical and jazz fans; the?amount of detail it can render on these kinds of recordings is truly impressive. At $449.99, the Minx Air 100 is $50 less than the Bowers & Wilkins A5, which lacks Bluetooth streaming but has much better bass punch; we also prefer the A5's easier AirPlay setup and slick styling. The Bowers & Wilkins Z2, a combination Lightning and AirPlay dock that's $50 less than the Minx Air 100, sounds a bit more punchy and energetic, although the Z2 was prone to distortion at higher volumes, and it also charges an iPhone 5 or iPod touch. If you just want a Bluetooth speaker that's smaller and less expensive, the Editors' Choice Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II delivers impressive sound for $299, although it's not as natural-sounding and transparent as the Minx Air 100 and lacks AirPlay compatibility.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/V-OUOiBw6Yg/0,2817,2419033,00.asp

earthquake san francisco donald payne elizabeth berkley lenny dykstra mlb 12 the show sabu franchise tag

Pool party, alligator walks, meetings, art exhibits, summer food ...

YMCA pool party Friday

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi - The YMCA is sponsoring a spring family fun fest outdoor pool opening on Friday from 4-6 p.m. The event includes face painting, crafts, spring egg jump in pool, free nachos, popcorn and lemonade. Kona Ice will be sold with 25 percent of proceeds to go to the YMCA building fund. Blossman Family YMCA is located at 1810 Government St. Call 228-875-5050 for details.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey fully charged

GULFPORT, Mississippi -- The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Ambassadors of Laughter, Cherie and Dave to perform the "Magical Circus" show in Bear Camp Bayou at The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center on Friday from 1-2 p.m. Free show with museum admission. There will be games, prizes, face painting and more. Discovery Center is located at 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport.

Gulf Islands National Seashore Memorial Day weekend alligator walk, Davis Bayou

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi --The Mississippi District of Gulf Islands National Seashore offers a Memorial Day holiday weekend filled with free guided walks. Alligator Walks will be held twice daily, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Friday until Tuesday. "With the arrival of warmer weather, why not take some time to explore the natural beauty of Gulf Islands National Seashore during the Memorial Day weekend?" says Superintendent Dan Brown. Meet the ranger or intern at Pavilion no. 4 in the Davis Bayou Area at the times and dates listed below.

For more information on the Mississippi District of Gulf Islands National Seashore, call the visitor center at 228-230-4100, visit our website at www.nps.gov/guis, or follow us on Twitter @GulfIslandsNPS for news and updates.

Submarine veteran meeting

BILOXI, Mississippi - The Tullibee Base of USSVI and the Subvetts of Tullibee Base will hold their monthly meeting Saturday at 11 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Biloxi Yacht Club, 408 Beach Boulevard. All submarine veterans and their spouses or guests are invited to attend. Additional information: http://www.ussvi.org/base/Tullibee.asp

Jackson County Farmer's Market is ripe for the pickin'

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- You can take home the makings for a fresh, locally grown meal, or pick up beautiful plants for your home from the Jackson County Farmer's Market. There is so much to choose from including fresh produce, plants, homemade breads and jellies, even handmade arts and crafts.

"Area farmers and artists have so much to choose from," says Jim Hart, market organizer. "There is a little something here for everyone."

Make it a healthy habit to stop by and pick up homegrown and homemade items while supporting local farmers and artists.

The Jackson County Farmer's Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 6 a.m. until the last customer is served at 2902 Shortcut Road, at the Jackson County Fairgrounds. The Farmer's Market will remain open through the last Saturday in September.

For more information or interest in being a vendor please contact Jim Hart at 228-762-6043.

Mississippi Art Colony 2013 juried spring show

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi - art exhibit of work juried in to The Mississippi Art Colony's traveling exhibit. The opening reception is Saturday from 5-7 p.m. The exhibit consists of 25 works by 22 artists chosen by John Beerman, an internationally-acclaimed painter, from approximately 74 works submitted for jurying. The 25 juried works are then judged for awards.

Contact Duckett Gallery Curator, Mary Hardy mhardycre8@cableone.net 228-369-4967. Exhibit running dates are Saturday through July 20 at the Duckett Gallery at The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center for Arts and Education 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. The gallery is opened Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is free. Call 228-818-2878 for information.

West Jackson County Utility Board meeting to be held

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The West Jackson County Utility District Board of Commissioners will be holding a board meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the district office located at 7312 Rose Farm Road.

Jackson County Civic Action Committee participates in summer food service program

The Jackson County Civic Action Committee, Inc. to participate in the summer service food program beginning Tuesday and operating through July 19. Meals will be served from 11: a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Meals will be provided to all children 18 years and younger without charge at the following sites:

Jefferson Street Head Start Center, 5343 Jefferson St. in Moss Point;

Gautier Head Start Center, 1017 Hwy. 90 in Gautier ; and

Taconi Head Start Center, 711 Magnolia Ave., Ocean Springs.

This program is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write or call to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, 800-795-3272 or 202-720-6382 (TTY)

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Ocean Springs Library hosts family game night

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Families and friends are invited to "Family Game Night" at the Ocean Springs Municipal Library on Tuesday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. A variety of games will be available for play in the meeting room. Families with children of all ages are invited. Classic board games from Candyland to Clue will be available for play.

Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Ocean Springs Municipal Library.

The library is located at 525 Dewey Avenue behind City Hall. For more information, call 228- 875-1193.

National run a mile day on Thursday

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Ocean Springs Parks and Recreation along with Blossman Family YMCA host a run/walk on Thursday from 6-7:30 p.m. Meet at Freedom Field at 425 Porter Ave. Admission is free. All boys and girls will receive a certificate of completion getting fit one step at a time.

Source: http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-living/2013/05/pool_party_alligator_walks_mee.html

weather dallas pat summitt real housewives of atlanta colton bo ryan the last waltz earth day activities

Restaurant learns online reviews can make or break

PHOENIX (AP) ? It was the customer service disaster heard around the Internet.

An Arizona restaurateur, fed up after years of negative online reviews and an embarrassing appearance on a reality television show, posted a social media rant laced with salty language and angry, uppercase letters that quickly went viral last week, to the delight of people who love a good Internet meltdown.

"I AM NOT STUPID ALL OF YOU ARE," read the posting on the Facebook wall of Amy's Baking Co. in suburban Phoenix. "YOU JUST DO NOT KNOW GOOD FOOD."

It was, to put it kindly, not a best business practice. Add to that an appearance earlier this month on the Fox reality television show "Kitchen Nightmares" ? where celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay gave up on trying to save the restaurant after he was insulted ? and you have a recipe for disaster.

"That's probably the worst thing that can happen," said Sujan Patel, founder and CEO of Single Grain, a digital marketing agency in San Francisco.

In the evolving world of online marketing, where the power of word of mouth has been wildly amplified by the whims and first impressions of anonymous reviewers posting on dozens of social media websites, online comments, both good and bad, and the reactions they trigger from managers, can make all the difference between higher revenues and empty storefronts.

Hotels, restaurants and other businesses that depend on good customer service reviews have all grappled in recent years with how to respond to online feedback on sites such as Twitter, Foursquare, Yelp, Facebook and Instagram, where comments can often be more vitriol than in-person reviews because of the anonymous shield many social media websites provide.

No matter how ugly the reviews get, businesses need to be willing to admit mistakes and offer discounts to lure unhappy customers back, digital marketing experts said.

"In the past, people just sent bad soup back. Well, now they are getting on social media and telling all their friends and friends of friends how bad the soup was and why they should find other places to get soup in the future, so it takes the customer experience to another level," said Tom Garrity of the Garrity Group, a public relations firm in New Mexico.

"The challenge becomes ? how do you respond when someone doesn't think your food or product is as great as you think it is?"

In Amy and Samy Bouzaglo's case, the bad reviews were compounded by their horrible reality TV experience. The couple said during a recent episode of "Kitchen Nightmares" that they needed professional guidance after years of battling terrible online reviews. They opened the pizzeria in an upscale Scottsdale neighborhood about six years ago.

"Kitchen Nightmares" follows Ramsay as he helps rebuild struggling restaurants. After one bite, he quickly deemed Amy's Baking Co. a disaster and chided the Bouzaglos for growing increasingly irate over his constructive feedback. Among his many critiques: The store-bought ravioli smelled "weird," a salmon burger was overcooked and a fig pizza was too sweet and arrived on raw dough.

"You need thick skin in this business," Ramsay said before walking out. It was the first time he wasn't able to reform a business, according to the show.

Amy's Baking Co. temporarily closed last week after the episode aired. A Bouzaglo spokesman said the couple was not available for an interview Monday. The restaurant's answering machine was full. Emails and Facebook messages were not returned.

A wall post published last week claimed the restaurant's Facebook, Yelp and Twitter accounts had been hacked, but hundreds of commenters expressed doubt. Social media sites show someone posting as a member of the Bouzaglo family had been insulting customers over negative reviews since at least 2010.

The story bounced across the Internet, generating thousands of comments on Facebook, Yelp and Twitter, and prompting nearly 36,000 people to sign a petition on Change.org that asks the Department of Labor to look into the Bouzaglo's practice of pocketing their servers' tips.

While many corporations hire communications experts to respond to every tweet, Facebook message and online review, the wave of digital feedback can be especially challenging for small businesses with small staffs, digital consultants said.

For one thing, there is so much online content to wade through. Roughly 60 percent of all adults get information about local businesses from search engines and entertainment websites such as Yelp or TripAdvisor, according to a 2011 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

"Customer service is a spectator sport now," said Jay Baer, president of Convince & Convert, a social media marketing consultancy in Indiana. "It's not about making that customer happy on Yelp. That's the big misunderstanding of Yelp. It's about the hundreds of thousands of people who are looking on to see how you handle it. It's those ripples that make social media so important."

In their "Kitchen Nightmares" episode, Amy and Samy Bouzaglo are seen yelling and cursing at customers inquiring about undercooked food or long delays. They blame online bullies.

"We stand up to them," Amy Bouzaglo tells the camera at one point. "They come and they try to attack us and say horrible things that are not true."

That's exactly how businesses shouldn't respond, the digital experts said.

"If your policy is to berate the customer online, that doesn't create good public relations," Garrity said.

Baer said he tells clients to create a response matrix representing different potential complaints that staff can refer to whenever bad feedback arises. Creating the comment chart before the bad publicity hits helps ensure businesses aren't responding to angry or disappointed customers with their own anger or disappointment, Baer said.

A 2011 Harvard study found Yelp's 40 million reviews disproportionately affect small businesses. The research found a one-star increase in Yelp's five-star rating system resulted in a revenue jump of up to 9 percent for some restaurants, while chains with sizable advertising budgets were unaffected.

"You have to respond 100 percent of the time, whether you like it or not," Baer said. "Businesses need to assign someone to stay on top of it."

In Arizona, Amy and Samy Bouzaglo had planned a grand reopening ceremony and news conference for Tuesday, but the news conference was canceled late Monday after legal threats from Fox.

Fewer than a dozen people were waiting when the restaurant reopened Tuesday. Four guards blocked the door and turned reporters away. Inside, a smiling Samy Bouzaglo posed for pictures and told customers that the tension captured in the episode was staged. That was a disappointment for some.

"I wanted it to be dramatic and people yelling," said Ricky Potts, a 29-year-old blogger who ate at the restaurant for the first time Tuesday only to declare the food good and the service routine. "Basically, I wanted it to be the circus that the TV episode was."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/restaurant-learns-online-reviews-break-072759344.html

Sam Claflin Tony Farmer West Nile virus symptoms snooki Prince Harry Vegas pictures Avril Lavigne Microsoft

Iran candidate list for presidential race

AAA??May. 21, 2013?3:32 PM ET
Iran candidate list for presidential race
By The Associated Press??By The Associated Press

COMBO - This combination of eight pictures shows eight candidates approved Tuesday, May 21, 2013 for Iran's June 14 presidential election to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who cannot run again because of term limits, clockwise from left: Mohammad Gharazi, Mohsen Rezaei, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, Saeed Jalili, Ali Akbar Velayati, and Hasan Rowhani, taken between May 9 and May 11, 2013. (AP Photo)

COMBO - This combination of eight pictures shows eight candidates approved Tuesday, May 21, 2013 for Iran's June 14 presidential election to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who cannot run again because of term limits, clockwise from left: Mohammad Gharazi, Mohsen Rezaei, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, Saeed Jalili, Ali Akbar Velayati, and Hasan Rowhani, taken between May 9 and May 11, 2013. (AP Photo)

In this photo taken on Saturday, May 11, 2013, conservative former Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, shows his inked finger to media as he registers his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, at the election headquarters of the interior ministry in Tehran, Iran. He was selected Tuesday, May 21, 2013 as one of eight candidates allowed to push ahead with his presidential bid. Velayati, 67, served as foreign minister during the 1980-88 war with Iraq and into the 1990s. He is a physician and runs a hospital in north Tehran. He was among the suspects named by Argentina in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this photo taken on Saturday, May 11, 2013, Tehran's mayor, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guard commander, waves to media, after registering his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, at the election headquarters of the interior ministry in Tehran, Iran. He was selected Tuesday, May 21, 2013 as one of eight candidates allowed to push ahead with his presidential bid. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this picture taken on Tuesday, May 7, 2013, former Iranian nuclear negotiator Hasan Rowhani speaks with media after registering his candidacy for upcoming presidential election, at the election headquarters of the interior ministry, in Tehran, Iran. He was selected Tuesday, May 21, 2013 as one of eight candidates allowed to push ahead with his presidential bid. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

In this photo taken on Friday, May 10, 2013, pro-reform former Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref, waves to media during his press conference, after registering his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, at the election headquarters of the interior ministry in Tehran, Iran. He was selected Tuesday, May 21, 2013 as one of eight candidates allowed to push ahead with his presidential bid. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

The eight candidates approved Tuesday for Iran's June 14 presidential election to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who cannot run again because of term limits.

___

ALI AKBAR VELAYATI: Top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on international affairs. Velayati, 67, served as foreign minister during the 1980-88 war with Iraq and into the 1990s. He is a physician and runs a hospital in north Tehran. He was among the suspects named by Argentina in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people.

___

MOHAMMAD BAGHER QALIBAF: Tehran mayor and former commander of the Revolutionary Guard during the Iran-Iraq war. Qalibaf, 51, is a pilot who enjoys good relations with Khamenei.

___

HASAN ROWHANI: A former nuclear negotiator and Khamenei's representative at the Supreme National Security Council, which also handles the nuclear dossier. Rowhani, 64, is a British-educated cleric.

___

MOHAMMAD REZA AREF: Liberal-leaning former vice president under reformist President Mohammad Khatami. Aref, 61, a former Tehran University chancellor, vowed to drop out of race if Khatami decides to run.

___

MOHSEN REZAEI: Former chief commander of the Revolutionary Guard. Rezaei, 58, ran in 2009, but finished fourth. He currently is secretary of the Expediency Council, which mediates between the parliament and Guardian Council.

___

SAEED JALILI: Iran's top nuclear negotiator since 2007. Jalili, 47, began his career as a diplomat in 1991. He has the support of ultraconservative cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, who was previously seen as Ahmadinejad's spiritual mentor.

___

GHOLAM ALI HADDAD ADEL: A 68-year-old former parliament speaker, who is currently a member of the Expediency Council and considered a strong conservative voice. His daughter is married to Khamenei's son.

___

MOHAMMAD GHARAZI: A former oil and telecommunications minister. Gharazi, 71, also served in parliament in the 1980s and '90s. He is considered conservative and portrays himself as a steady-handed technocrat.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-21-Iran-Election-Candidates/id-9061f5d71ba940438390278ce02b0dd5

love actually strikeforce davy jones deep impact miesha tate vs ronda rousey idiocracy usssa baseball

Asia stocks fall ahead of Fed statements

A man under an umbrella walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo Monday, May 20, 2013. Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.4 percent to 15,352.84 as evidence of a steady economic recovery in the U.S. helped push Asian stock markets higher Monday. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A man under an umbrella walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo Monday, May 20, 2013. Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.4 percent to 15,352.84 as evidence of a steady economic recovery in the U.S. helped push Asian stock markets higher Monday. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

People under umbrellas walk by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Monday, May 20, 2013. Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.4 percent to 15,352.84 as evidence of a steady economic recovery in the U.S. helped push Asian stock markets higher Monday. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stock markets fell Tuesday as investors waited for the U.S. Federal Reserve to telegraph what it plans to do next with its economic stimulus program.

The Fed is conducting its third round of massive bond purchases known as quantitative easing to help drive down interest rates and spur lending. But recently improving data on the U.S. economy has led to speculation that the Fed might consider scaling back the program or winding it down earlier than expected.

On Wednesday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will appear before Congress and the central bank will release minutes of its most recent policy meeting.

"When markets are this elevated, with US markets at record levels, investors generally look for any excuse to exercise caution," said Stan Shamu, market strategist at IG in Melbourne.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.1 percent to 15,341.85. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.6 percent to 23,364.36 amid profit-taking, analysts said. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.6 percent to 5,176.70 after minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia's May meeting, released Tuesday, showed the central bank expects the country's economy to experience below-average growth this year.

South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.1 percent to 1,979.93. Benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia and New Zealand fell while the Philippines rose. Mainland Chinese shares were mixed.

A key piece of data comes out of China later in the week when HSBC releases its monthly manufacturing survey Thursday. After some recent ups and downs, analysts said they expected to see a stabilization of growth in factory output.

"I think the market has already turned more cautious," said Linus Yip, strategist at First Shanghai Securities in Hong Kong. "I don't think it will add much more impact to the market overall."

Among individual stocks, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. soared 23 percent after the company launched the manufacture of a mini-vehicle jointly developed with Nissan Motor Co., Kyodo News said.

On Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.1 percent to close at 15,335.28. The Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 0.1 percent to 1,666.29. Still, both stock indexes are near their record highs. The Nasdaq composite index fell 0.1 percent, to 3,496.43.

Benchmark oil for June delivery was up 12 cents to $96.83 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained 69 cents to close at $96.71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Monday.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.2886 from $1.2897 late Monday in New York. The dollar rose to 102.47 yen from 102.29 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-05-21-World%20Markets/id-8db4e97ec0604cf7a39e7d2d5fbff94b

tu pac hologram shuttle pippa middleton space shuttle discovery spacex tupac hologram tupac back

The digital design imperative | Feature | Computer Arts magazine

Opinions matter. And mine has always been that if bad typography and Photoshop work don?t make your blood boil then you shouldn?t be a designer. If you can sit on the train opposite an ad featuring poorly kerned letters or view a Frankenstein?s monster comp of a ?lead character when young? movie prop photo and not twitch, you are creatively dead inside.

Slink away now if you?re unmoved by either example, or hang around and get motivated. The role of designer has changed beyond all recognition since I left college (it?s moved fast; I?m not that old). So what is graphic design? Well, before ?digital? it used to be relatively easy to define: branding, brochures, editorial layouts, posters, flyers and packaging, for starters.

That list still exists, but many brochures are now interactive, from PDFs to eBooks with websites that either replicate or deliver the same content. Great editorial layouts are still essential for tablet-based magazines and eBooks because the eye is arrested by the skilful juxtaposition of stunning images and intelligent typography. Posters, meanwhile, work on various levels, from the 48-sheet variety now on many digital Jumbotrons to our ever-increasing desktop screen sizes offering the scale previously reserved for printed posters. And flyers, unless they come from a local pizza delivery business, are now emails, Facebook posts or Tweets. We haven?t lost packaging from our high streets yet, but the online marketplace offers increasing numbers of virtually packaged downloads.

So, who gives a crap? Things change. Technology advances and forces us to move with it. It?s a take that can lead to the kind of sloppy Photoshop, branding and layouts that make me want to punch inanimate objects (or designers). It?s an attitude cultivated by creatives who don?t live and breathe design, as well as clients who believe our computers do all the work.

So snap out of it. And appreciate the incredible opportunities to not only design great visual experiences, but also to bring them to life as incredible user experiences. The graphic design label has been well and truly scrapped ? welcome to the wonderful new world of design, where the brief to create postage stamps becomes the task to build instantly recognisable icons or miniaturised album covers and book jackets, where the fight to be seen and remembered provides the ultimate pixel-pushing challenge. Wearable technology and smart TVs will provide your next playgrounds, so start thinking about future opportunities to make a design difference.

Knock down the mental barriers and apply great design thinking to everything you do. Don?t assign different standards to different work or clients ? we live in a world in which a local butcher can have as much global visibility as Wal-Mart. The world?s eyes are on your kerning, your cut-outs and your colour palette.
?

Discover 10 amazing examples of experimental design at our sister site, Creative Bloq.

Source: http://www.computerarts.co.uk/features/digital-design-imperative

barbra streisand hugh jackman Aly Raisman Oscar Results Jennifer Lawrence Fall Ang Lee les miserables

Friendly with the Dalai Lama? Good luck talking with Beijing

Meeting the Dalai Lama can have sharp diplomatic and economic consequences with Beijing, as Britain's Prime Minister Cameron, who wants to lead a trade mission to China, has found out.

By Peter Ford,?Staff writer / May 13, 2013

The Dalai Lama answers questions during His Holiness the Dalai Lama Environmental Summit on "Universal Responsibility and the Global Environment" at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Saturday, May 11, 2013 in Portland, Ore.

Motoya Nakamura, The Oregonian/AP

Enlarge

Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, has never had very good relations with the Chinese government. But now his personal envoy to Beijing is offering to help another British leader who seems to be even more firmly in the Chinese doghouse ? Prime Minister David Cameron.

Skip to next paragraph Peter Ford

Beijing Bureau Chief

Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; // google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

Mr. Cameron, who would dearly like to head a trade and investment mission to China, incurred Beijing?s wrath last May by meeting the Dalai Lama. The fact that it was a private meeting, on sacred ground in St. Paul?s cathedral, makes no difference. He will be persona non grata until he apologizes.

That status can be costly: A 2010 study by academics at the University of Gottingen in Germany found that countries whose top leadership received the Dalai Lama lost an average of 8.1 percent of their exports to China over the following two years, though the effect wore off after that punishment period.

Enter Sir David Tang, Hong Kong fashion tycoon and flamboyant London socialite, who also heads Prince Charles?s charitable foundation in Beijing. He told the Daily Telegraph?s gossip columnist over the weekend that he is ready to help defrost London?s diplomatic relations with Beijing.

?Look at the Prince of Wales,? he told the paper. ?He?s now very engaged with lots of Chinese people.?

?Twas not ever thus. The Prince?s stock here hit rock bottom in 2005 when somebody leaked the private diary he had kept in 1997, when he represented the Queen at the handover of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. He famously described the assembly of top Chinese leaders at the ceremony as ?appalling old waxworks.?

In 2009, however, Prince Charles opened a Chinese branch of his international foundation, funding projects that build sustainable communities. That has helped, but he has still never visited mainland China.

Charles himself is close to the Dalai Lama, which makes him a suspicious character in Beijing?s eyes. The Chinese authorities go to extraordinary lengths to persuade foreign leaders not to meet the Tibetan leader, whom they accuse of being an anti-Chinese? ?splittist,? and when those leaders fail they grow very angry.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy?was subjected to such anger when he met the Dalai Lama.?

France emerged from such a period of diplomatic and trade punishment in 2009, only after it signed a joint statement with China clarifying that Paris ?fully appreciates the importance and sensitivity of the Tibet issue and reaffirms ? that Tibet is an integral part of Chinese territory.?

Since the Dalai Lama himself has also said, repeatedly, that Tibet is part of Chinese territory, and that he does not seek independence, French diplomats could argue that they were not conceding anything. But the symbolism of the statement was clear.

London appears to have escaped the export boycott: A British government spokesman pointed out that UK exports to China had climbed by 13.4 percent last year.

He also defended Cameron?s right to choose who he meets in private regardless of China?s feelings on the matter. ?It is entirely reasonable for the prime minister to decide who he meets,? the spokesman said.?

But no sooner had the queen finished her speech opening Parliament last Wednesday, than Cameron was offering olive branches to Beijing. A senior member of the ruling Conservative Party lobbed the prime minister a clearly pre-arranged question about Sino-British relations; Cameron lost no time in reassuring Parliament, and Beijing, of course, that ?we recognize Tibet as part of China. We do not support Tibetan independence and we respect China?s sovereignty.

?We do want to have a strong and positive relationship with China,? he stressed.

It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to placate Beijing.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/ge9Sq-PTtZw/Friendly-with-the-Dalai-Lama-Good-luck-talking-with-Beijing

URI Facebook Home Ncaa Basketball Tournament 2013 Robert Ebert blake shelton chelsea handler hannibal

Arianna Huffington: Sunday Roundup

This week saw the kickoff of Second Term Scandal Season, though the first entrants fall on very different parts of the manufactured scandal vs. real scandal continuum. On the deeply-contrived end is Benghazi -- with supposedly damning White House emails having been altered by GOP leakers. On the actually scandalous end is the administration's snooping through the AP's phone records, which the New York Times called "an effort to frighten off whistle-blowers." The incident points out the hypocrisy of a White House that praises whistleblowers in the abstract, but then goes after them -- aggressively and often. "Speaking truth to power is now a criminal act," says whistleblower and former NSA executive Thomas Drake, who the DOJ charged under the WW I-era Espionage Act. It's President Obama's war against whistleblowers that is the true scandal.

?

?

?

Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sunday-roundup_282_b_3299201.html

danielle fishel daylight savings DeAndre Jordan Oz the Great and Powerful elisabeth hasselbeck Mothers Day 2013 World Baseball Classic

Awards for 2012 Presented at the 2013 AGM | Royal Meteorological ...

Award

Award winner 2012

The Symons Gold Medal

Dr Tim Barnett

Buchan Prize

Dr Mark Rodwell

The Hugh Robert Mill Award

Dr Christopher M Taylor

L F Richardson Prize

Dr Tim Woollings

The Michael Hunt Award

Jointly to Dr Paul Williams FRMetS and Dr Andrew Russell

Adrian Gill Prize

Prof Dudley Shallcross FRMetS

IBM Award for Meteorological Innovation that matters

Old Weather (led by Dr Philip Brohan)

Vaisala Award

Dr Ian Strangeways FRMetS

The Gordon Manley Weather Prize

Andrew Sibley FRMetS

Quarterly Journal Editor?s Award

Prof Peter Jan van Leeuwen FRMetS

International Journal of Climatology Editor?s Award (sponsored by Wiley-Blackwell)

Prof Johnny Chan

Atmospheric Science Letters Editor?s Award

Prof Sat Ghosh

James Paton Memorial Prize

Ms Rohan Beyts for a photograph submitted by James Brownhill

Jehuda Neumann Memorial Prize (awarded by the History of Meteorology & Physical Oceanography Special Interest Group)

Brian Booth

Source: http://www.rmets.org/awards-2012-presented-2013-agm

arrested development revenge revenge dancing with the stars Chris Hadfield golden state warriors Happy Mothers Day

Berklee Commencement Honors Willie Nelson, Carole King, Annie Lennox (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Willie Nelson performs during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

(L-R) Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Kris Kristofferson perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Kris Kristofferson perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Carole King attends the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Willie Nelson performs during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Willie Nelson performs during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Willie Nelson performs during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown (L) Lawrence Simpson and Kris Kristofferson (R) confer an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree on WIllie Nelson (C) take part in the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson (C) receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an honorary doctor of music degrees during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an honorary doctor of music degrees during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an honorary doctor of music degrees during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown (L) Lawrence Simpson and Kris Kristofferson (R) confer an receive honorary doctor of music degree on Willie Nelson during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson (L) and Carole King (R) receive honorary doctor of music degrees during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an honorary doctor of music degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson (L) and Carole King receive honorary doctor of music degrees during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music Senior Vice President Lawrence Simpson (L) and Berklee President Roger Brown (R) confer an honorary doctor of music degree on Carole King (C) during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music Senior Vice President Lawrence Simpson (L) and Berklee President Roger Brown (R) confer an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree on Carole King (C) during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Atmosphere during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown (L) Lawrence Simpson and Kris Kristofferson (R) confer an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree on WIllie Nelson (C) take part in the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Willie Nelson receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Atmosphere during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music Senior Vice President Lawrence Simpson (L) and Berklee President Roger Brown (R) confer an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree on Carole King (C) during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Atmosphere during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Atmosphere during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Atmosphere during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

At the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Atmosphere during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown (L) Lawrence Simpson and Kris Kristofferson (R) confer an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree on WIllie Nelson (3rd R) 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown speaks during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement where honorary doctor of music degrees were conferred on Willie Nelson, Annie Lennox and Carole King at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Carole King receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown (L) Lawrence Simpson and Kris Kristofferson (R) confer an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree on WIllie Nelson (C) during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Ceremony at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Carole King receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Kris Kirstofferson (3rd L) attends the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement where honorary degrees were conferred on Willie Nelson, Annie Lennox and Carole King at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Student Nicole Olver speaks during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Kris Kristofferson (3rd L) attends the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement where honorary degrees were conferred on Willie Nelson, Annie Lennox and Carole King at Berklee College of Music on May 11 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Carole King receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement

Carole King receives an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Kris Kristofferson perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Willie Nelson performs during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Kris Kristofferson attends the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert

Berklee College of Music students perform during the 2013 Berklee College Of Music Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music on May 10 in Boston. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/13/berklee-commencement-willie-nelson-king-lennox_n_3267968.html

old school nick swisher jaco san jose sharks humber perfect game ufc 145 fight card ufc145

Amazon taking the fight to iTunes on the Desktop with new Cloud Player client

Amazon's Cloud Player has been around for a while now, but the only way to access it in a desktop environment has been via the web browser. Now though, Amazon has announced a full desktop client for Cloud Player, and takes the fight to iTunes in doing so.

Initially only available for Windows users, Mac users are told to "stay tuned" as a version for the Mac is coming sometime down the line. Having a full desktop client of course means that Cloud Player users can download their music to their computers to listen to while not connected.

On the face of it, the Cloud Player desktop app looks pretty interesting. It promises to automatically add all your iTunes and Windows Media Player music so you have all your music in one place, without the user having to go and fetch it. Continuing on from that, it promises to keep your library up to date every time you buy music -- even from iTunes -- or rip a CD, automatically adding it to Cloud Player. If you prefer to use iTunes, no problem, export your music from Cloud Player to play over there.

Amazon promises a great experience using Cloud Player on the desktop, and there's no doubts that iTunes attracts its critics. While we haven't tried it out yet, we'll be looking forward to putting the Mac version through its paces when it drops. If anyone's tried out the Windows version yet, be sure to share your experiences with us. How does it compare to iTunes for you?

Source: Amazon

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/-Y0VO7E9AR0/story01.htm

new ipad release pregnant jessica simpson international womens day joe the plumber lra lra eric johnson