New models predict drastically greener Arctic in coming decades

Mar. 31, 2013 ? New research predicts that rising temperatures will lead to a massive "greening," or increase in plant cover, in the Arctic. In a paper published on March 31 in Nature Climate Change, scientists reveal new models projecting that wooded areas in the Arctic could increase by as much as 50 percent over the next few decades. The researchers also show that this dramatic greening will accelerate climate warming at a rate greater than previously expected.

"Such widespread redistribution of Arctic vegetation would have impacts that reverberate through the global ecosystem," said Richard Pearson, lead author on the paper and a research scientist at the American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity and Conservation.

Plant growth in Arctic ecosystems has increased over the past few decades, a trend that coincides with increases in temperatures, which are rising at about twice the global rate. The research team -- which includes scientists from the Museum, AT&T Labs-Research, Woods Hole Research Center, Colgate University, Cornell University, and the University of York -- used climate scenarios for the 2050s to explore how this trend is likely to continue in the future. The scientists developed models that statistically predict the types of plants that could grow under certain temperatures and precipitation. Although it comes with some uncertainty, this type of modeling is a robust way to study the Arctic because the harsh climate limits the range of plants that can grow, making this system simpler to model compared to other regions such as the tropics.

The models reveal the potential for massive redistribution of vegetation across the Arctic under future climate, with about half of all vegetation switching to a different class and a massive increase in tree cover. What might this look like? In Siberia, for instance, trees could grow hundreds of miles north of the present tree line.

"These impacts would extend far beyond the Arctic region," Pearson said. "For example, some species of birds seasonally migrate from lower latitudes and rely on finding particular polar habitats, such as open space for ground-nesting."

In addition, the researchers investigated the multiple climate change feedbacks that greening would produce. They found that a phenomenon called the albedo effect, based on the reflectivity of Earth's surface, would have the greatest impact on the Arctic's climate. When the sun hits snow, most of the radiation is reflected back to space. But when it hits an area that's "dark," or covered in trees or shrubs, more sunlight is absorbed in the area and temperature increases. This has a positive feedback to climate warming: the more vegetation there is, the more warming will occur.

"By incorporating observed relationships between plants and albedo, we show that vegetation distribution shifts will result in an overall positive feedback to climate that is likely to cause greater warming than has previously been predicted," said co-author Scott Goetz, of the Woods Hole Research Center.

This work was funded by the National Science Foundation, grants IPY 0732948, IPY 0732954, and Expeditions 0832782. Other authors involved in this study include Steven Phillips (AT&T Labs-Research), Michael Loranty (Woods Hole Research Center and Colgate University), Pieter Beck (Woods Hole Research Center), Theodoros Damoulas (Cornell University), and Sarah Knight (American Museum of Natural History and University of York).

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Museum of Natural History, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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. Richard G. Pearson, Steven J. Phillips, Michael M. Loranty, Pieter S. A. Beck, Theodoros Damoulas, Sarah J. Knight, Scott J. Goetz. Shifts in Arctic vegetation and associated feedbacks under climate change. Nature Climate Change, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1858

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/_-wyLznOOuE/130331165603.htm

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Pullback possible after stocks reach milestone

Ryan Vlastelica , Reuters ? ? ? 36 min.

NEW YORK -- After flirting with an all-time high for three weeks, the S&P 500 posted its best closing level in history. But strategists say Thursday's record could be a harbinger that the stock market rally is running out of steam.

The S&P traded within 10 points of the all-time closing high for 13 sessions before breaking through, showing that investors need new catalysts to push firmly above resistance levels.

"As the market has gone higher ... upward moves have generally gotten smaller, which suggests that the move is getting old and that we need a pullback," said Mark Arbeter, chief technical strategist for Standard & Poor's in New York.

Stocks could fall about 3 percent to 4 percent, he said.

The benchmark index has risen almost 10 percent so far this year, fueled by strong profit growth and accommodative monetary policy from the Federal Reserve. But those gains have slowed as investors fret over Cyprus's bailout and mixed signs about the economy.

Still, stocks have been resilient, lifting the S&P to its record close of 1,569.19 on Thursday. Investors stepped in on declines to buy and finally pushed the S&P above the previous record set on October 9, 2007.

The broad index is also within a stone's throw of its intraday record of 1,576.09. The Dow surpassed its record close on March 5 and set a series of records, ending Thursday at 14,578.54.

The S&P has risen for 11 of the past 13 weeks, up 0.4 percent over the past two weeks. In contrast, the CBOE Volatility index, a measure of investor anxiety, is up about 14.5 percent over the same period.

"The increase in volatility we've seen is far more likely to be the sign of a short-term top" than the trend of investors buying on dips, Arbeter said. "If that volatility persists, then you would need to worry about an intermediate top."

In addition, speculator positions show a preference for holding long positions. Mike O'Rourke, chief market strategist at Jones Trading, noted that long positions account for more than 65 percent of speculative positions in futures contracts, a point at which rallies can be overextended.

U.S. markets will be closed for the Good Friday holiday and reopen on Monday.

The stock market next week will face tests of the milestone it reached, with the situation of Cyprus's banks and a round of U.S. data, including the March jobs report on Friday, facing investors.

About 197,000 jobs were added in March, according to a Reuters poll of economists. That would be down from the 236,000 jobs created in the previous month but still suggest improvement in the labor market. The unemployment rate is seen holding steady at 7.7 percent.

A strong payroll report could spark caution if it raises questions about whether the Federal Reserve would be more inclined to reduce monetary stimulus more quickly.

"There will be those who fear that if things improve too dramatically, too quickly, the Fed will take its foot off the pedal of quantitative easing," said Kristina Hooper, head of portfolio strategies at Allianz Global Investors in New York.

So far, however, the Fed has not suggested a change in its stimulus measure is likely. If the central bank slows the rate of its monthly bond purchases, a program that has been credited with boosting equity prices, "that could cause some weakness," Hooper said.

Rex Macey, chief investment officer at Wilmington Trust in Atlanta Georgia, said a "Goldilocks report" was needed for markets to rally.

In the first quarter the S&P rose 10 percent. It gained 3.4 percent in March, the index's fifth straight monthly rise. The Dow was up 3.7 percent in March and more than 11 percent in the first quarter, while the Nasdaq composite index was up 3.2 percent in March and 8 percent in the quarter.

Cyprus will remain in focus after the government was forced to accept a stringent European Union rescue package to avert default. In a positive sign, there were no runs by depositors on banks after they reopened under tight controls on Thursday.

Macey, who helps manage about $20 billion in assets, compared the market's situation to the card game "Texas Hold 'Em" poker where players start out with cards they can see and don't see additional cards until after rounds of betting.

"Based on the cards we can see now, which are things like economic fundamentals, I think stocks are a fine place to be in the longer term," he said. "However, there are still cards we can't see, like what the resolution will be in Cyprus, that could cause trouble."

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a2f160c/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cpullback0Epossible0Eafter0Estocks0Ereach0Emilestone0E1C9133634/story01.htm

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Kenya Supreme Court upholds election result

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ? Kenya's Supreme Court on Saturday upheld the election of Uhuru Kenyatta as the country's next president, ending an election season that riveted the nation amid fears of a repeat of the 2007-08 postelection violence.

Outside the Supreme Court, police fired tear gas at Odinga supporters, the second time that has happened in this post-election period.

Outbreaks of violence by angry Odinga supporters were reported in some Nairobi slums and truckloads of police were called in to quell the demonstrations, according to reports on a police radio heard by an Associated Press reporter.

But jubilant Kenyatta supporters flooded the streets of downtown Nairobi, honking horns, blowing the noisy plastic horns known as a vuvuzelas and chanting.

Saturday's verdict ? following a drawn-out court case that raised tensions across the nation ? means that Kenyatta will be sworn in as president on April 9. He will become the second sitting president in Africa to face charges at the International Criminal Court. Kenyatta and Deputy President-elect William Ruto both face charges that they helped orchestrate the 2007-08 postelection violence in which more than 1,000 people died. Both deny the charges. Ruto's trial is set to begin in late May; Kenyatta's is to start in July. Kenyatta has promised to report to The Hague.

Lawyers for challenger Raila Odinga, who finished second, had argued before the Supreme Court that the election was marred by irregularities and that Kenyatta did not win enough votes to avoid a runoff election.

According to official results, Kenyatta won 50.07 percent of the vote, narrowly avoiding a runoff election against Odinga, who said his case before the Supreme Court would put Kenya's democracy on trial.

But the Supreme Court's unanimous verdict, read out by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, said the election was "conducted in compliance with the constitution and the law" and that Kenyatta and Ruto were legally elected.

"It is the decision of the court that (Kenyatta and Ruto) were validly elected," the ruling said. The reasons behind the judges' decision were not given Saturday. The chief justice said a detailed judgment would be delivered within two weeks.

Unlike after the 2007 election, which degenerated into tribe-on-tribe violence that killed more than 1000 people, this time Odinga said he had faith in the judiciary's ability to give him a fair hearing. Odinga, who said he would respect the court's decision whether it favored him or not, was set to address reporters in Nairobi later on Saturday. As Kenyatta's supporters celebrated outside the court premises, police fired tear gas to break up a crowd of Odinga supporters.

The court's ruling ends days of anxiety since March 9, when Kenyatta was declared the winner of the March 4 vote that many described as the most complex in Kenya's history. More than 12 million Kenyans participated in the election. Some observers had expected a low registration of voters because of apathy following the 2007-08 violence, but hyped up campaigns by Kenyatta, Odinga and other presidential candidates led to the highest registration in the country ever. Kenya's electoral commission registered 14.3 million people.

Election day, though, did not go as planned. An electronic voter ID system intended to prevent fraud failed for reasons yet to be explained by the electoral commission. Vote officials instead used manual voter rolls.

After the polls closed, results were to be sent electronically to Nairobi, where officials would quickly tabulate a preliminary vote count in order to maximize transparency after rigging accusations following the 2007 vote. But that system failed, too. Election officials have indicated that computer servers overloaded but have yet to fully explain the problem.

As the early count system was still being used, election results showed more than 330,000 rejected ballots, an unusually high number. But after the count resumed with the arrival in Nairobi of manual tallies, the number of rejected ballots was greatly reduced, and the election commission said the computer was mistakenly multiplying the number of rejected ballots by a factor of eight.

Odinga's lawyers told the Supreme Court this week that the switch from electronic voter identification to manual voter roll was stage managed to allow inflation of Kenyatta's votes to take him past the 50 percent threshold. That accusation was vehemently denied by the electoral commission and Kenyatta's legal team.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-30-Kenya-Election/id-330cb187161f4b54acc3e8be566ec0a6

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A breakthrough for Lebanese e-commerce? | Web-Release.info

Posted by admin in Events | 0 comments

The Lebanese blogosphere?lit?up?last week when PayPal announced at the ArabNet conference that it would begin offering services in the country later this year. A gaggle of online commentators welcomed the news, with responses ranging from excitement to mere relief. ?I can?t tell you how much this helps me,? one commenter said.

PayPal is the leading global service that manages online payments. It is owned by eBay, the world?s top online marketplace, and rose to prominence alongside the site. But it has branched out and is moving rapidly into mobile technology and other new trends.

Yet until now, those Lebanese wanting to buy goods or services via PayPal have been unable to, or have been forced to use foreign cards. The reason, the company says, was strategic ? Lebanon?s market was not ready before. Even now e-commerce is still in its infancy, with only 9 percent of Internet users active in it ? the vast majority for online banking rather than buying goods ? according to a new poll by Ipsos.

While PayPal?s arrival will make life easier for consumers, the real beneficiaries may be Lebanon?s businesses. ?We?re definitely excited,? said Mohammed Bakhash, project manager for?Mira-Cl?, a business consultancy that also builds websites for e-commerce companies. ?I know a lot of clients who are trying to get around the fact that PayPal isn?t available in Lebanon,? he says.

There are other services for online payments, but none stack up against PayPal, according to Bakhash. Currently, most e-commerce sites ?get around this issue by creating an account and having a virtual credit card,? he said, adding that some banks offer payment solutions as well, but they?re ?very complicated and they charge a lot.? PayPal, on the other hand, is simple, cheap and ubiquitous.

The timeline of the arrival is still unclear. Speaking to Executive, PayPal?s Business Development Manager for the MENA region, Francis Barel, said it will hopefully be before the end of the year, provided a launch in Egypt goes smoothly.??We have said we?re planning to come to Lebanon in 2013???so we?re hoping it will be by the end of the year, but it?s a long process.?

The online spin-off of Lebanon?s leading bookseller?Antoine?already uses PayPal, but only for customers with foreign bank accounts or credit cards. ?At first the [focus] of the site was to sell outside Lebanon,? says Cyril Hadji-Thomas, CEO and co-founder of Books Without Borders, which manages Antoine Online. But ?now the positioning has changed a bit?the growing market is Lebanese customers.? Currently, around sixty percent of Antoine Online?s sales are in Lebanon, he says.

Hadji-Thomas thinks PayPal?s security safeguards and ease of use mean it will be popular in the market. ?With PayPal you can link your identity and it?s secure. Most of the time people don?t want to fetch their credit card to pay? the whole process is easier,? he says.

He believes Antoine Online is uniquely positioned to take advantage of PayPal?s move into Lebanon as they have their own delivery service that is used to the chaos of Lebanon?s address system, while people can also pick up the product from in-store. This mix of physical infrastructure, combined with a lack of customs hassles, provides a competitive advantage over foreign e-commerce sites, he says. ?We think we have a better offer than Amazon in the country.?

The missing link

However, PayPal?s introduction will only be a game changer if it coincides with changes in the Lebanese attitude towards online shopping, where poor infrastructure and low levels of trust prevent people buying online. ?The main issue is having Lebanon get [used] to the e-commerce market as standard,? Hadji-Thomas says.

Part of the problem is that there is still no legal or regulatory framework for e-commerce in Lebanon. A draft law was shelved in 2010 after activists?complained?that it was so poorly written that it would have provided government bodies with sweeping powers over many aspects of online life.

Another?draft law?has been proposed to address these concerns and lay a basic framework for e-commerce regulation. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to talk to the press, said that if enacted, ?a lot of issues might be resolved, including logistics, security, payments, downloading, quality of software and protecting the rights of stakeholders.?

The law would also provide for transactions involving the government, the representative explains. For example, ?when [the government] automated registration of trademarks, we had to resort to LibanPost to make payments and transport the documents. If we had this transaction law, everything could have been done over the web,? he says.

But whether the government moves on e-commerce or not, the private sector will continue to advance the field. According to PayPal, the lack of proper regulation is a hindrance, but the markets?cannot?wait?for government action. As Barel said, ?I think [Lebanon] is quite ready.?

Source Executive Magazine

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Source: http://web-release.info/2013/03/30/a-breakthrough-for-lebanese-e-commerce/

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Click & Grow Smartpot flowerpots get even smarter

Last month I posted a review of the Click & Grow Smartpot flowerpot and had a positive experience with it except for one important thing… Trying to grow a plant in Southern Indiana during the winter months, even with an auto watering flowerpot, just doesn’t work that well due to short sunlight hours. The folks [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/30/click-grow-smartpot-flowerpots-get-smarter/

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Google launching same-day delivery service for online shoppers

MICHAEL LIEDTKE ? ? ? 6 hrs.

Internet search leader Google is taking another step beyond information retrieval into grocery delivery.

The new service, called Google Shopping Express, will initially provide same-day delivery of food and other products bought online by a small group of consumers in San Francisco and suburbs located south of the city. The company, based in Mountain View, Calif., didn't say how many people will be part of the test.

If the pilot program goes well, Google plans to expand delivery service to other markets.

"We hope this will help users explore the benefits of a local, same-day delivery service, and help us kick the tires on the new service," Google said in a Thursday statement.

The delivery service is part of Google's effort to increase consumer reliance on the Internet, so it will have more opportunities to show online ads, which generate most of its revenue.

Google has learned that the more time people spend online, the more likely they are to use its dominant search engine or one of its other popular services, like its YouTube video site or Gmail, that include advertising.

The delivery service also could spur merchants to buy more online ads if Google's same-day delivery service encourages consumers to do more of their shopping online. Having to wait days or, in some cases, more than a week for the delivery of online orders ranks among the biggest drawbacks to Internet shopping.

It's a problem that Amazon.com and eBay, which operate the largest e-commerce sites, already have been trying to solve by offering same-day service in some U.S. markets. Wal-Mart Stores, the world's largest retailer, also offers same-day delivery in five markets.

A mix of national, regional and neighborhood merchants are enlisting in Google Shopping Express. The best-known names on the list include Target and Walgreen. All the merchants in the Google program will sell certain items through a central website. Google has hired courier services to pick up the orders at the merchant stores and then deliver them to the customer's home or office.

Although the couriers will be working on a contract basis, they will be driving Google-branded vehicles and wearing company-issued uniforms.

It remains unclear whether Internet shopping and same-day delivery can be profitable. Online grocer Webvan collapsed in 2001, largely because it couldn't devise a pricing plan that would pay for the costs of same-day delivery without alienating shoppers unwilling to pay too much extra for the added convenience.

Google is still trying to figure out how much to charge for its same-day delivery service. For the six-month test period in the San Francisco area, consumers won't have to pay a surcharge. Google instead will receive a commission from participating merchants.

The expansion into same-day delivery comes at the same time that Google is preparing to close some of its older online services so it can devote more attention and money to other projects.

The realignment has irked some Google users. The biggest complaints have centered on Google Reader, which allows people to automatically receive headlines and links from their favorite sites, and iGoogle, which allows Web surfers to design a page consisting of the Google search engine surrounded set up other online features, such as local weather reports and stock market quotes.

Google Reader is scheduled to close in July and iGoogle will shut down in November.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a2418e3/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cgoogle0Elaunching0Esame0Eday0Edelivery0Eservice0Eonline0Eshoppers0E1C9143458/story01.htm

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Selling SEO to the C-Suite - Search Engine Watch (#SEW)

?Search sits at the core of online behavior. People spend more time on the Internet than watching TV. What customers put in the search bar is the expression of intent?, said Seth Besmertnik, CEO of Conductor, and presenter at the SEO in the Boardroom: Tangible Search Metrics session at SES New York. The session emphasized the importance of executive buy-in when it comes to investing in organic search, and a wealth of tips on how to go about winning it.

A Compelling Case for Investment in Organic Search

?SEO is about optimizing content so people can find it. Many people play a role in various stages of creating content, yet SEO often has no functional ownership of this process. It is imperative to get the C-suite engaged?, said Besmertnik. Before traveling down the path of strategy and implementation, you must first sell the C-Suite on making the investment in SEO.

Organic search is the indisputable leader in driving traffic that will convert to a website. Yet, it remains among of the lowest funding priorities when it comes to the website or marketing budget. Search marketing often attracts more of the budget, despite the fact that organic search delivers a higher rate of lead to close conversion than paid search, referral, social media, or outbound marketing.

Despite the facts, ?organic search remains the most under-funded activity in web marketing?, said Besmertnik. He referenced data provided by Forrester and comScore indicating that allocation of search engine budgets is upside down.

While a mere 8 percent of search engine clicks come from paid search, 89 percent of the search budget is invested in search engine marketing. Conversely, while 92 percent of search engine clicks are organic in origin, a mere 11 percent of the search engine budget is invested in organic search.

Besmertnik shared that when his organization inquired, organizations would reveal how little they invest in organic search. He used an example of a $100,000 per month budget where 10 percent spend on organic would be considered high, a mere 1 percent of the budget allocated to organic SEO is more the norm.

This could be discouraging to those championing SEO to the leadership team within their own organization, or that of a client. Fortunately, the facts are in the favor of SEO as a qualified investment. It is just a matter of communicating them to the right people, in a way they will understand and can respond to.

Speak Their Language

Besmertnik explained, ?most technical SEO professionals fail to communicate effectively with CEOs. They dive into details about link profiles, canonical URLs, missing alt tags, etc.? A technical discussion creates a technical barrier. Resist the temptation to dazzle them with terms you may use as a technician of your craft and focus instead on terms management is familiar with and understands.

One of the easiest ways to sell anything to the CEO, CFO, CMO, CTO, CIO or any other C-level executive, is to communicate with data. At the executive level, hype and industry trends mean very little until they directly impact the competitive edge and profitability of an organization.

Use Data to Demonstrate SEO Performance

To appeal to bottom-line focused executives, performance and ROI of any investment will be more heavily scrutinized than anywhere else in the organization. Which works to your advantage, when you are prepared to sell SEO.

A million people die, it?s a statistic, one person dies and its tragic. The same applies to keywords. CEOs actually care about keywords, perhaps even including the CEO?s name. Provide granular data that enables them to identify goals and view performance.

And, never forget there is a lot of ego and emotion invested in succeeding. Besmertnik reminds us that leadership, across the board, does not want to be beat by their competition or out-performed.

SEO is on the Rise

SEO as a skillset is on the rise. The number of SEO jobs increasing over the past year or two. And, Besmertnik shared that Conductor tracks the number of people on LinkedIn with SEO in their title or description - that number has jumped from 250,000 professionals in 2011, to 500,000 professionals in 2012.

In fact, some CEOs and executives from the C-Suite may consider themselves to be the SEO. For executives and other professionals who believe they know more than then they really do, satiate their desire to be engaged with frequent sharing of information, the way they want to see it. Or, educate them on focus of big picture for results, not just granular performance of one specific keyword.

Moderator Simon Heseltine, Director of SEO at AOL, suggested, ?when the CEO or other executives show interest in being more hands-on, offer them two options to participate, based on how to be involved if they wish to be.?

ROI and Revenue

Once you?ve sold the C-Suite on SEO, it will command budgetary investment as long as it delivers. Demonstrating ROI is an imperative when it comes to organic search.

As Besmertnik explains, even if you removed every hint of organic search traffic, you?d still get some level of search traffic. So, measuring performance can be as easy as subtracting the revenue generated by doing ?nothing? from the revenue generated to determine ROI of SEO.

He presented the following equation to illustrate:

SEO Revenue
- Revenue You?d Get From Doing Nothing
= ROI from SEO Investment

The following grid was presented by Besmertnik to gauge ROI of SEO.

The top right if the chart represents the highest ROI. The bottom left represents the lowest ROI.

To be even more accurate, calculate costs of SEO that impact other roles and outcomes (cost of talent, crossover of data utilized for Paid search, programming, design, etc.) which expand the perceived value of investments made in natural search to the organization.

KPIs and Milestones

Search ranking data may not be enough to demonstrate SEO performance. To increase understanding, Besmertnik suggests referencing specific KPIs and milestones, such as how many keywords appear on page one of SERPs, rank, URLs appearing in search, competitive comparison an positioning, as well as notations of events that impact search performance (server upgrades, impact of Panda, Penguin, etc.).

Engage the C-Suite

The session could have stopped there, but there was much more ground to cover. Chuck Price, CEO of Measurable SEO, jumped right into SEO in the Boardroom. He began his presentation by emphasizing that success in SEO no longer merely means being at the top of Page 1. Although SERPs are still a good indicator of success, you cannot judge overall success by these metrics alone.

Synchronize Business and SEO

?Business and SEO must be in sync. No buy-in, no sale,? Price said. ?If you cannot achieve buy-in from C-Suite, you will not attract the budget to execute your awesome marketing plan.?

He began the discussion asking ?Remember when it was easy to demonstrate SEO value?? It used to be Page 1 Ranking = Success. Today, rankings and traffic need to yield measurable improvement in revenues and profits. Price used several key topics to illustrate exactly how SEO can positively impact the bottom line.

SEO is Multi-Faceted

Price credited Eric Schmidt of Google, author of "The New Digital Age", due to be released on April 23, 2013 with the quote ?Authorship is the next big thing?. Price explained that essentially authorship = rankings, lack of authorship = anonymity.

Price emphasizes ranking on the long tail, not just head phrases. He also mentioned the value of other assets, explaining an optimized photo can now get more clicks than a page when properly optimized.

He encourages SEO professionals to tap into visibility metrics to identify top content in order to replicate and expand it, and identify the weakest content to be eliminated or revamped. In the context of referrals, Price recommends identifying ?most linked to? content and marketing it to attract organic referrals.

Price also offered a stream of valuable tips.

How to Promote Consensus Around SEO

• Find a Cheerleader:?Leverage social media, relationships to create an internal champion for your cause.
• Objections are inevitable:?Be prepared to show ROI with Plan A, have a back-up Plan B and C if budget is an issue.
• Neutralize Naysayers:?People don't like change. Seek someone that person trusts to help you win them over.
• Offer Metrics-Based Engagement:?No performance, no payment.
• Show you have their best interest in mind:?Develop a track-record of generous contributions, and be prepared to remind them of your contribution and attention.
• Timing is Everything:?Getting it right means asking lots of questions and offering the right solution at the right time.
• Don?t Abandon Good Ideas:?If your ideas don?t get buy-in the first time, it doesn?t mean they were bad ideas. Be prepared to try later, or adapt to circumstances.
• Make Proposal Simple and Clear:?Present proposals on a single page, perhaps with a link to the details. This increases understanding of the offer.
• Co-Create the Solution with the C-Suite:?Sometimes you need to approach the project as a team, be prepared to collaborate your way to a solution.
• Best Outcomes from Relationships and Team Collaboration:?All parties are more likely to be on board with the plan, and make sure it happens.
• What?s in it For Me:?Articulate how they will benefit from the proposed solution.
• Manage What You Measure:?Invest in what will directly impact how you will measure success (rank, keywords, landing pages, organic traffic, etc.)

Price stated that he believes that achieving the top of Page 1 may require deviation from Webmaster guidelines and the risk of a penalty by Google. I would add that the comfort level with this approach may vary by organization.

3 Tools for Measuring SEO

There were three tools mentioned by Price that SEO pros may find useful:

SEO ROI and Cost of Customer Acquisition Calculator

SEO ROI Calculator

Custom Reports ? SEO Dashboard via Jill Whalen

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Convergence Analytics: Digital Measurement in Transition
This joint report by ClickZ and Efectyv Marketing seeks to identify how the evolution of digital analytics affects and challenges practitioners, vendors, and investors. Download it today!

Source: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2258019/Selling-SEO-to-the-C-Suite

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Gun control backers struggle to win some Democrats

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2013 photo, Emma Clyman, 5, of Manhattan, holds a sign that reads "No More Newtowns" outside city hall park during the One Million Moms for Gun Control Rally in New York. Despite a proposal backed by over 8 in 10 people in polls, gun control supporters are struggling to win over moderate Democrats in their drive to push expanded background checks of firearms purchasers through the Senate next month. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2013 photo, Emma Clyman, 5, of Manhattan, holds a sign that reads "No More Newtowns" outside city hall park during the One Million Moms for Gun Control Rally in New York. Despite a proposal backed by over 8 in 10 people in polls, gun control supporters are struggling to win over moderate Democrats in their drive to push expanded background checks of firearms purchasers through the Senate next month. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

FILE - In this May 19, 2011 file photo, Chairman Mark Pryor, D-Ark., speaks during a hearing of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance on cell phone privacy on Capitol Hill in Washington. Despite a proposal backed by over 8 in 10 people in polls, gun control supporters are struggling to win over moderate Democrats like Pryor in their drive to push expanded background checks of firearms purchasers through the Senate next month. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2012 file photo, Sen.-elect Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., address her supporters in Bismarck, N.D. Despite a proposal backed by over 8 in 10 people in polls, gun control supporters are struggling to win over moderate Democrats like Heitkamp in their drive to push expanded background checks of firearms purchasers through the Senate next month. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? It would seem a lobbyist's dream: rounding up votes for a proposal backed by more than 8 in 10 people in polls. Yet gun control supporters are struggling to win over moderate Democrats in their drive to push expanded background checks for firearms purchasers through the Senate next month.

Backed by a $12 million TV advertising campaign financed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, gun control groups scheduled rallies around the country Thursday aimed at pressuring senators to back the effort. President Barack Obama was meeting at the White House with gun violence victims.

Moderate Senate Democrats like Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota are shunning Bloomberg as a meddling outsider while stressing their allegiance to their own voters' views and to gun rights. While saying they are keeping an open mind and that they support keeping guns from criminals and people with mental disorders, some moderates are avoiding specific commitments they might regret later.

"I do not need someone from New York City to tell me how to handle crime in our state. I know that we can go after and prosecute criminals without the need to infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding North Dakotans," Heitkamp said this week, citing the constitutional right to bear arms.

Heitkamp does not face re-election next year, but Pryor and five other Senate Democrats from Republican-leaning or closely divided states do. All six, from Southern and Western states, will face voters whose deep attachment to guns is unshakeable ? not to mention opposition from the still-potent National Rifle Association, should they vote for restrictions the NRA opposes.

"We have a politically savvy and a loyal voting bloc, and the politicians know that," said Andrew Arulanandam, spokesman for the NRA, which claims nearly 5 million paying members.

The heart of the Senate gun bill will be expanded requirements for federal background checks for gun buyers, the remaining primary proposal pushed by Obama and many Democrats since 20 first-graders and six women were shot to death in December at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada has said there aren't enough votes to approve a ban on assault weapons, while prospects are uncertain for a prohibition on large-capacity ammunition magazines.

Today, the background checks apply only to sales by the nation's roughly 55,000 federally licensed gun dealers. Not covered are private transactions like those at gun shows and online. The Senate measure is still evolving as Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., use Congress' two-week recess to negotiate for additional support in both parties.

Expanding background checks to include gun show sales got 84 percent support in an Associated Press-GfK poll earlier this year. Near-universal background checks have received similar or stronger support in other national polls.

Polls in some Southern states have been comparable. March surveys by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute found more than 9 in 10 people in Florida and Virginia backing expanded background checks, the same margin found by an Elon University Poll in North Carolina in February.

Analysts say people support more background checks because they consider it an extension of the existing system. That doesn't translate to unvarnished support from lawmakers, in part because the small but vocal minorities who oppose broader background checks and other gun restrictions tend to be driven voters that politicians are reluctant to alienate.

"It's probably true that intense, single-issue gun voters have been more likely to turn out than folks who want common-sense gun laws," said Mark Glaze, director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the group that Bloomberg helps lead. Glaze, however, said he believes that voters favoring gun restrictions have become more motivated since Newtown and other recent mass shootings.

Several moderate Democrats are holding back as they assess the political landscape. They're also waiting to see exactly what the Senate will consider.

Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, said Wednesday his state's voters tell him, "Don't take away our rights, our individual rights, our guns." Begich said he opposes a strict proposal requiring background checks for nearly all gun sales but will wait to see whether there is a bipartisan compromise he can support.

The problems faced by gun control supporters go beyond the challenge of winning over moderate Democrats. GOP opponents are sure to force Democrats to get 60 of the Senate's 100 votes to win, and there are only 53 Democrats plus two independents who generally support them.

Also targeted by Bloomberg's ads are 10 Republicans, including Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, home of ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was severely wounded in a mass shooting; the retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia; and moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

In another indicator of hurdles facing gun control forces, the Senate voted 50-49 last week to require 60 votes for any legislation narrowing gun rights. The proposal lost because 60 votes in favor were required, but six Democrats voted for the proposal, offered by conservative Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

"It confirms there's no such thing as an easy gun vote," said Jim Kessler, a senior vice president of the centrist Democratic group Third Way.

Underscoring the uncertainty about moderate Democrats:

?Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is "still holding conversations with Virginia stakeholders and sorting through issues on background checks" and proposals to ban assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines, spokesman Kevin Hall said.

?Pryor said of Bloomberg's ads: "I don't take gun advice from the mayor of New York City. I listen to Arkansans." Spokesman Michael Teague said Pryor opposes universal background checks but could favor expanding the requirement to gun show sales.

?Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., told the Greensboro News & Record she favors expanded background checks, but said her vote would depend on the measure's details. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., answered, "Yes," when the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette asked whether he supports gun show background checks ? prompting Bloomberg's group to remove Donnelly's name from the ad they are running in Indiana.

The gun bill also increases penalties for illegal gun sales and slightly boosts aid for school safety.

More abrupt changes like an assault weapons ban generally get slight majorities in polls. Democratic leaders decided to omit it from the Senate bill because such a provision lacks enough votes.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-28-Gun%20Control-On%20the%20Fence/id-e3e8b5712d2c47669756bf2ab198086f

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Wheatcroft leads Houston, McIlroy sticks around

Rory McIlroy hits a shot out of a third-hole bunker during the first round of the Houston Open golf tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Humble, Texas. (AP Photo/Conroe Courier, Jason Fochtman)

Rory McIlroy hits a shot out of a third-hole bunker during the first round of the Houston Open golf tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Humble, Texas. (AP Photo/Conroe Courier, Jason Fochtman)

Steve Wheatcroft prepares to putt on the 15th hole during the first round of the Houston Open golf tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Humble, Texas.(AP Photo/Bob Levey)

Rory Mcllroy, of Northern Ireland, hits out of a bunker on the 13th hole during the second round of the Houston Open golf tournament, Friday, March 29, 2013 in Humble, Texas. (AP Photo/Jon Eilts)

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) ? A late birdie might just be enough to give Rory McIlroy two more rounds before the Masters.

Steve Wheatcroft, a Monday qualifier for the Houston Open, had another 67 to take the lead among early starters Friday at Redstone Golf Club.

Far down the leaderboard was McIlroy, struggling to make the cut for the first time this year against a full field. He two-putted from 85 feet away on the fringe on the par-5 eighth hole and made par on his final hole for a 2-under 70. That put him at 1-under 143, which appeared to be safe for playing on the weekend.

Wheatcroft was at 10-under 134 and had a three-shot lead. The PGA Tour hasn't had a Monday qualifier win a tournament since Arjun Atwal in August 2010.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-29-GLF-Houston-Open/id-950238aecbb04b428168aa25f0626a7d

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The Jaw-Dropping Reason Congress Drafted DOMA: 'Moral Disapproval of Homosexuality' (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Blake Shelton gets no love on 'The Voice'

By Rebecca Ford, The Hollywood Reporter

Adam Taylor / NBC

"Voice" coach Blake Shelton wasn't picked by any of the hopefuls Tuesday.

After raking in stellar ratings on Monday night, "The Voice"?returns for the second installment of its two-night premiere.

The four coaches --?Shakira, Usher, Blake Shelton?and?Adam Levine?-- continue to turn their chairs for big voices and surprising talent.

Photos from THR: 'The Voice' teams: Season 4's performers

Tawnya Reynolds
Song: ?Mammas Don?t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys?
Coaches who turned their chairs: Levine, Usher, Shakira
This aspiring country singer couldn't get Shelton to turn his chair, but she got all three other coaches to notice her. She went with Shakira, despite Shelton's encouragement for her to choose Usher.

Josiah Hawley
Song: "Sunday Morning"
Coaches who turned their chairs: Shelton, Usher, Levine
He wants to be known as much more than a pretty face, but look at that face! The religious, married model sings "Sunday Morning," a Maroon 5 song. It's a risky move, but he gets Shelton, Usher, and yes, Levine, to turn for him. Surprisingly, he chooses Usher for his coach! Bold move. Usher serves up some even bolder dance moves in celebration.

Midas Whale
Song: "Folsom Prison Blues"
Coaches who turned their chairs: All four
This geeky, goofy folk duet belts out "Folsom Prison Blues" onstage. The first coach to turn his chair is, surprisingly, Usher, followed quickly by Shelton, Levine and Shakira. "I hope ya'll don't screw up the rest of your lives by going with one of these other coaches," says Shelton. Shakira has a long chat with them in Spanish, which is totally adorable. But the pair chooses Levine, making them his first duo ever.

More from THR: 'Voice' gamble pays off with Usher and Shakira

Abraham McDonald
Song: "Best Thing I Never Had"
Coaches who turned their chairs: None
The 35-year-old grew up shy, but was pushed into the spotlight by his sister, who got him to compete in a karaoke contest for?Oprah Winfrey. He has a voice as big as his stature, but his raspy voice doesn't turn any chairs.

Cathia
Song: "No Me Doy Per Vencido"
Coaches who turned their chairs: Usher, Shakira, Shelton
Studying music business, Cathia is looking for a mentor on the show. She takes a risk by singing in Spanish, her first language. Usher turns first, but we all know that everyone is looking towards Shakira, who turns her chair second. Shelton doesn't understand a word she's saying but he also turns his chair. The three coaches also give her a standing ovation. Shelton tries to play the veteran card, but Shakira name drops Gloria Estefan -- her own mentor. Cathia goes with Shakira, naturally.

Sarah Simmons
Song: "One of Us"
Coaches who turned their chairs: All four
After having her dad fall in and out of her life because of addiction issues, Sarah has finally rebuilt that relationship and is ready to perform for the coaches. She hits just the right note early on in her song and Shakira and Levine quickly hit their buttons. Her cool, unique, powerful voice gets Shelton and Usher to turn too. "I think you can win this thing and you may be in my top three singers I have ever heard audition for 'The Voice,' " says Shelton. But Adam's charm wins out again, and Sarah joins the Maroon 5 frontman's team.

So Shakira and Levine add two new members to their teams, Usher adds one and Shelton fails to add a single member to Team Blake.

Which act impressed you the most Tuesday? Tell us on our Facebook page!

Related content:

More in The Clicker:

Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/03/26/17479341-blake-shelton-gets-no-love-on-the-voice?lite

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How diabetes drug delays aging in worms

Mar. 28, 2013 ? A widely prescribed type 2 diabetes drug slows down the aging process by mimicking the effects of dieting, according to a study published today using worms to investigate how the drug works.

Following a calorie-restricted diet has been shown to improve health in later life and extend lifespan in a number of animals, ranging from the simple worm to rhesus monkeys. The type 2 diabetes drug metformin has been found to have similar effects in animals but until now it was not clear exactly how the drug delays the aging process.

Researchers supported by the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council looked at the effects of metformin on C. elegans worms that were grown in the presence of E. coli bacteria, a relationship similar to that which humans have with the 'healthy' bacteria in our gut. They found that the worms treated with metformin lived longer only when the E. coli strain they were cultured with was sensitive to the drug.

Dr Filipe Cabreiro from the Institute of Healthy aging at UCL, who led the research, explains: "Overall, treatment with metformin adds up to 6 days of life for the worm which is equivalent to around a third of its normal lifespan. It seems to work by altering metabolism in the bacteria that live in the worm, which in turn limits the nutrients that are available to the worm host and has a similar effect to restricting the diet."

Bacteria living in the gut have an important role in helping the host organism to digest and extract nutrition from food. Defects in gut bacteria have been linked to metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. It has also been suggested that gut bacteria may have an impact on the aging process, but this is the first study to suggest a mechanism for how this works.

The team used strains of E. coli with defects in genes that are linked to metabolism and tweaked the levels of nutrients available to tease out which metabolic pathways might be affected by the drug. They found that treatment with metformin disrupted the bacteria's ability to metabolise folate, a type of B-vitamin, and methionine, one of the building blocks of proteins. This limits the nutrients that are available to the worm and mimics the effects of dietary restriction to enable the worms to live longer.

However, when they added an excess of sugar to the diet, the team found that the life-extending effects of metformin were cancelled out. As the drug is used as a treatment for diabetes caused by elevated glucose levels in the blood, this finding is particular relevant for understanding how the drug works in people.

Professor David Gems, who directed the study, said: "We don't know from this study whether metformin has any effect on human aging. The more interesting finding is the suggestion that drugs that alter bacteria in the gut could give us a new way of treating or preventing metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes."

Metformin is currently one of the most widely prescribed drugs and the findings should help to inform how it is used in patients.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wellcome Trust, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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. Filipe Cabreiro, Catherine Au, Kit-Yi Leung, Nuria Vergara-Irigaray, Helena?M. Cochem?, Tahereh Noori, David Weinkove, Eugene Schuster, Nicholas?D.E. Greene, David Gems. Metformin Retards Aging in C.?elegans by Altering Microbial Folate and Methionine Metabolism. Cell, 2013; 153 (1): 228 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.02.035

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/most_popular/~3/tv-92dVqdys/130328125106.htm

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Iterate 43: Pocket Casts and going Android first

Russell Ivanovic, Philip Simpson, and Matt Kelsh of Shifty Jelly talk to Marc, Seth, and Rene about being indie in Australia, making Pocket Weather, and why they decided to go Android first for Pocket Casts. Note: All accents in this show are, we assume, fake.

• Subscribe via iTunes
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Show notes

• Pocket Weather Australia
• Pocket Casts for Android
• Why Android first?

Guests

• Russell Ivanovic of of Shifty Jelly
• Philip Simpson of Shifty Jelly
• Matt Kelsh of of Shifty Jelly

Hosts

• Marc Edwards of Bjango
• Seth Clifford of Nickelfish
• Rene Ritchie of iMore.com

Feedback

Yell at us on Twitter via the above accounts. Loudly.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/OM9w2dtXiGk/story01.htm

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Mortars strike Damascus, killing at least 4

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) ? Mortars rounds struck several areas of Damascus on Tuesday, killing at least four people, a government official said, while anti-regime activists said Syrian troops seized control of a neighborhood in the central city of Homs that is considered a symbol of opposition to President Bashar Assad's regime.

The Syrian military's recapture of Baba Amr came as opposition representatives took the country's seat for the first time at an Arab League summit, a significant diplomatic boost for the rebellion.

The seesaw fight for the Homs neighborhood reflects the back-and-forth nature of Syria's 2-year-old civil war. While rebels appear to be gaining ground, their progress is slow and their fighters remain vulnerable to Assad's military superiority.

The regime has ample heavy weapons and a fleet of fighter jets but a shortage of ground troops, meaning it often abandons areas to rebel forces and then pounds them with artillery and airstrikes from afar, sometimes forcing rebel retreats. It also frequently claims to have "secured" areas only to report months later that it "secured" them again, with little explanation of how rebels got back in.

In Damascus, the SANA state news agency said mortar shells exploded in several parts of the city, killing at least three people and wounding others. Most of the strikes hit the city's east side, falling near a school in the Baramkeh neighborhood, the Damascus Hospital, the Law Faculty of Damascus University and the state news agency's own offices.

A government official told The Associated Press that four people had been killed and more than 40 wounded. The official spoken on condition of anonymity since he was not authorized to brief the media.

SANA said one girl and two other civilians were killed.

Mortars rounds also fell in a number of areas on the city's west side, including the Christian neighborhood of Bab Touma, SANA said.

The agency published photos of a hole in a wall of what appeared to be a school, medics treating blood-stained patients and firemen extinguishing burning cars.

It was not immediately clear who fired the mortars. Such sporadic attacks in the capital have grown more common in recent weeks as rebels have continued to clash with government troops on the city's east and south sides. While the shelling rarely causes many casualties, it has shattered the aura of normalcy the regime has tried to cultivate in Damascus.

SANA also reported the explosion of a car bomb near the predominately Kurdish neighborhood of Rukneddine. It gave no further details.

The government blamed "terrorists" for all the attacks, its blanket term for anti-Assad forces.

Also Tuesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that government forces pushed rebels from the Baba Amr neighborhood of Homs after two weeks of clashes, shelling and airstrikes that destroyed many homes.

The state news agency said Monday that government forces had "restored security and stability" to the neighborhood.

A Homs-based government official confirmed to The Associated Press that regime troops took control of Baba Amr.

"Baba Amr is now a safe area," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements. He said clashes continued elsewhere in Homs.

Baba Amr, a poor, predominantly Sunni neighborhood in southwest Homs, emerged early in the uprising as a symbol of the rebel movement, first for its protests and later for the armed groups who held it against the regime onslaught.

While not strategically important in the civil war, the loss of Baba Amr is a symbolic blow to the rebels.

The government seized the neighborhood about a year ago after months of daily shelling that damaged much of the area and killed hundreds, including two foreign journalists who had sneaked in to report on the siege. It has changed hands a number of times since, with rebels saying early this month that they had taken advantage of a regime security lapse to take it back and set up checkpoints.

Also Tuesday, the Observatory said that at least 13 charred bodies, including those of four children and five women, were found on the outskirts of the village of Abil, southwest of Homs city.

The group, which relies on a network of contacts inside Syria, circulated a video that showed charred and disfigured bodies placed on sheets. Some had holes in their heads and others appeared to have had their throats slit.

The video appeared authentic and corresponded with other reporting by The Associated Press.

The Observatory said local activists blamed the killings on pro-government thugs.

The Syrian government does not respond to requests for comment and did not mention the killing in official media.

Meanwhile, at the Arab League summit in Qatar, a delegation led by the former president of the main opposition alliance, Mouaz al-Khatib, took the seats assigned for Syria to the applause of other delegates.

The decision for the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition to take Syria's seat was made at the recommendation of Arab foreign ministers meeting earlier this week in the Qatari capital, Doha. The Arab League in 2011 suspended the Syrian government's membership in the organization in response to the regime's crackdown on opponents.

The diplomatic triumph, however, could not conceal the disarray within the top ranks of the Syrian opposition.

Besides al-Khatib, the Syrian delegation included Ghassan Hitto, the recently elected prime minister of a planned interim government to administer rebel-held areas in Syria, and two prominent opposition figures, George Sabra and Suheir Atassi.

Addressing the gathering, al-Khatib thanked the Arab League for granting the seat to the opposition, saying "it is part of the restoration of legitimacy that the people of Syria have long been robbed of."

Even as rebel fighters gain ground in their fight against Assad's troops, their mostly exile political leadership has been crippled by infighting. Al-Khatib announced his resignation on Sunday because of what he described as restrictions on his work and frustration with the level of international aid for the opposition. The Coalition rejected the resignation and al-Khatib said he would discuss the issue later and represent the opposition at the Qatar summit "in the name of the Syrian people."

Hitto's own election as the head of the interim government also has triggered a backlash, with the head of the military council associated with the Coalition, Gen. Salim Idris, rejecting Hitto's nomination.

Some members have accused Qatar and the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood of imposing their will on the Coalition.

In Damascus, the government on Tuesday blasted the Arab League's move to allow the opposition to take its seat at the Doha summit, portraying it a selling-out of Arab identity to please Israel and the United States.

The crisis began in March 2011 with protests demanding Assad's ouster. With a harsh government crackdown, the uprising steadily grew more violent until it became a full-fledged civil war. The United Nations estimates that more than 70,000 people have died so far in the conflict.

___

Hubbard reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Hamza Hendawi in Cairo contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mortars-strike-damascus-killing-least-4-152231159.html

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Samsung Chrono 2 (U.S. Cellular)

U.S. Cellular will soon be getting the Samsung Galaxy S4, but not everyone needs this much phone. Some people just want to make calls and send the occasional text message. And while feature phones are becoming increasingly rare, there are still enough new options to keep you satisfied. Case in point: The $69.99 Samsung Chrono 2 doesn't raise the bar for basic phones, but it's good enough for simple voice calls. You can find a better phone if you prefer to text, but it's worth a look if your needs are very basic.

Design and Call Quality
The Chrono 2 measures 3.79 by 1.88 by 0.73 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.6 ounces. It's the same standard flip design we've seen for years, but has a solid, quality feel. The phone is made of glossy black plastic, with a grippy, textured pattern on the back panel. The rest of the body, including the interior, is the same sort of plastic but in a metallic red. There are two Volume buttons on the left side of the phone and a Camera button on the right. Samsung throws in a decent pair of wired earbuds that plug into the standard 3.5mm headphone jack above the Camera button.

The external 1.3-inch LCD features 128-by-128-pixel resolution. It shows you the time, date, network, reception, ringer, and battery life, though only right after you close the phone; you can't trigger it on otherwise, which kind of defeats the purpose. The hinge mechanism opens smoothly, though the phone is too curvy and slippery to open with just one hand. Inside, the 2.2-inch LCD sports 320-by-240-pixel resolution. It looks decent when you crank up the brightness, but there is virtually no good viewing angle other than dead-on; it becomes hard to see when you tilt the phone even a little bit.

Beneath the screen are a number of well-sized function keys and a five-way control pad. Despite their size, however, I found it way too easy to press the wrong key. There's no delineation between keys on the control pad, which makes it possible to trigger the wrong action. The number pad isn't ideal either. Again the keys are quite large, but they're so flat, and have such little distinction, that it's easy to press the wrong one. Texting on a number pad is bad enough, but texting on a number pad that often misfires is flat-out frustrating.

In New York City where I did my testing, U.S. Cellular phones use Sprint's network.?The Chrono 2 is a 2G device with no Wi-Fi. You probably won't use it much for the Internet, but voice quality is solid. Voices sounded clear in the phone's earpiece, with plenty of gain. Calls made with the phone are also good, with decent noise cancellation and volume. Calls were fine over a Jawbone Era?Bluetooth headset?and the Nuance-powered voice dialing worked without a hitch. The speakerphone sounds good, but it's not loud enough to hear outside. Battery life was decent at 6 hours and 47 minutes of talk time.

Apps, Multimedia, and Conclusions
Samsung hasn't changed much about the Chrono 2's user interface from its original incarnation. The main menu consists of nine different icons that link you to just about everything you can do with this phone. Oddly, the EasyEdge icon in the middle brings you to a separate menu with some additional basic apps, like AccuWeather and Pac-Man, that you can't find anywhere else. The rest of the apps are located within the Tools menu, where you have access to an alarm, calculator, calendar, notepad, and stopwatch, along with a few other standard apps.

Web browsing is painful. The Myriad 6.2 Web browser serves up WAP sites, but it's old and sluggish, and the 2G data connection doesn't help things out. There is no built-in email or instant messaging, but if that's what you're interested in, you'd be better served by a phone with a keyboard, or at least a better number pad.

Multimedia support is mixed. The Chrono 2 doubles as a decent music player. There's only 40MB of free internal memory, but the microSD card slot underneath the battery cover was able to read my 32GB SanDisk card. The music player automatically detected MP3 and WMA files on my card, and music sounded good over both the included earbuds as well as Altec Lansing Backbeat?Bluetooth headphones. Oddly, the phone recognized my AAC files as ringtones, where I could play them back, but it wouldn't let me play them through the music player.

There's no video player or camcorder, and the 1.3-megapixel camera isn't a big selling point. For photos captured outside, colors look a bit muted and details are sparse. Photos taken indoors are even worse.

If you simply need a phone to make calls, the Samsung Chrono 2 fits the bill. U.S. Cellular's other flip phone, the Kyocera DuraPro, is much larger and more rugged, with a price tag to match. It's a good choice if you're clumsy, but doesn't offer anything else the Chrono 2 doesn't have. If you're more interested in sending text messages than making calls, you're better off with a keyboarded phone like the Samsung Character, with its roomy slide-out keyboard and responsive touch screen. The Samsung Freeform 4, meanwhile, has a BlackBerry-style keyboard, and slightly better multimedia capabilities than the Chrono 2.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/kbP5MwOmPdI/0,2817,2417022,00.asp

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