Sure, the Super Bowl on Sunday will technically pit two of football's greatest in a head-to-head blowout. But for a lot of fans, it's not about the San Francisco 49ers or the Baltimore Ravens -- because we're all on the same team: Team Beyonce!
Thankfully, the singer -- who will headline the halftime event with what promises to be an all-out funky extravaganza -- understands her team's needs: She's now posted a tease that offers a brief glimpse into her planned halftime shenanigans.
Set to her hit song "Countdown," the video looks into the dance-filled rehearsal between Beyonce and her dancers, and is way too brief. But its YouTube title, "Beyonce Super Bowl Halftime Show Rehearsal: Day 1" implies there may be a Day 2, Day 3 ... and so on. So cross fingers that this is not the only insight into the hitmaker's practice sessions.
Of course, that's not all: Check out the photo Beyonce posted online spotlighting her game face and football-gripping abilities.
Still, it doesn't address one of the big questions likely to be on viewers' minds: Will she sing it live, or will she use backing tracks -- as was rumored happened during her performance at President Barack Obama's second inauguration? Anything is possible.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Federal regulators say a Florida company has been marketing an untested inhaled formula as a flu remedy in violation of drug safety regulations.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning letter to Flu and Cold Defense LLC for making misleading, unproven claims about its GermBullet inhaler.
The warning comes amid a worse-than-usual flu season that has hit the elderly particularly hard. So far, half of confirmed flu cases are in people 65 and older.
FDA regulators say they are seeing an uptick in bogus flu remedies, including fake flu vaccines, counterfeit antiviral drugs and air filters that allegedly remove the flu from the air.
"When there is a particular health issue in the news fraudulent products spike," said Howard Sklamberg, FDA's director of compliance. "So right now fraud products to prevent or treat the flu are big with scammers."
The Boca Raton, Fla.-based Flu and Cold Defense advertises the product as a "proprietary blend of 11 organic botanicals." The company's website claims that "an FDA recognized virology lab" tested the formula and "confirmed that it has the potential capability to kill cold and flu viruses."
But FDA regulators say the mixture has never been reviewed as safe and effective and the company is violating drug safety regulations.
All new drugs marketed in the U.S. must be submitted for approval to the FDA before they can be sold to consumers. Sklamberg says consumers should remember that "there aren't any legally marketed over-the-counter products to prevent or treat the flu."
The GermBullet is sold online through retailers like CVS.com and at a handful of small pharmacies and natural food stores in Florida.
A man reached by phone at Flu and Cold Defense's office could not immediately comment on the warning letter.
This year's flu season started about a month earlier than normal and the dominant flu strain is one that tends to make people sicker. The government doesn't keep a running tally of adult deaths from the flu, but estimates that it kills about 24,000 people most years. Vaccinations are recommended for anyone 6 months or older.
Flu and Cold Defense issued a news release early in the month saying GermBullet "may help protect you so your immune system is not overwhelmed as the flu reaches epidemic levels." FDA and FTC regulators take issue with that statement and a number of others from the company's website, including that the inhaler is "shown to reduce illness-causing bacteria, cold and flu viruses and fungi."
The letter, dated Jan. 24, was posted to the FDA's website Tuesday.
Regulators gave the company 15 business days to correct the problematic statements.
"The FTC strongly urges you to review all claims for your products and ensure that those claims are supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence," states the letter.
The FDA regularly issues warning letters to companies that do not follow regulations for manufacturing and promoting drugs and medical devices. The letters are not legally binding, but the FDA can take companies to court if they are ignored.
I'm a very forgetful person, the type who can put my keys down one minute and instantly forget where they are the next. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, though, which explains the need for products like the Kensington Proximo ($59.99 direct). The Proximo uses up to five dongles that you can attach to various items like keys, bags, or electronics to help you keep track of them. Each dongle is then paired with your iPhone 4S or 5 via Bluetooth and controlled with the free Proximo app. It's less expensive than the similar Cirago iAlertTag and has far more useful features thanks to its well-implemented companion app.
Design and Features? The Proximo starter kit comes with one fob and one tag; the fob is an oblong plastic dongle that measures about 2 inches tall and 1 inch wide, while the tag is a circular dongle that measures about 1.5 inches in diameter. They're about the same size as the iAlertTag, but they feel sturdier, especially the built-in metal loops for keyrings. The fob has a single button on its face, while the tag lacks any physical controls. Additional tags can be purchased for $24.99 apiece, but fobs, which you'll need to find a lost phone (more on that below), are only available in the $60 starter kit.?
Both the fob and tag connect to your iOS device via Bluetooth 4.0, which means the Proximo is only compatible with the iPhone 4S or later. The companion app is currently an iOS exclusive, but Kensington says an Android solution is in the works.
Setup, Use, and Conclusions Pairing and setup are performed via the Proximo iOS app, where you can connect up to five fobs or tags to a single iPhone. You have to hold the button on the fob or use a pen to press a recessed button on the tag to enter pairing mode. The Proximo app automatically detects nearby fobs or tags and asks you to label each when pairing. For example, I attached a fob to my keys using the included keyring and labeled it keys. I also threw the tag into my backpack's coin pocket and labeled it backpack. ?
The primary purpose of Proximo is keeping your valuables nearby by triggering alerts on your iPhone, fob, or tags. Using the app you can set the sensitivity of the proximity sensor, which determines how far you need to be from a fob or tag to trigger an alert. You can also set the alert tone from a number of 8-bit-sounding jingles, with separate alerts for each fob and tag. You can disable the alert from the fob itself once found by pressing the button, while the Tag alert can only be disabled via the app. Pressing the button on the fob can also trigger the alert on your phone. The tag has no button, so you won't be able to trigger the alert on your phone when it's lost.?
The thing that really sets the Proximo apart from the very similar iAlertTag is the ability to determine just how close each tag or fob is. The Find function on the app allows you to see whether you're getting closer to your lost belonging as you move, which is useful since a ringing alarm alone isn't always enough to pinpoint something like a set of keys. The Last Seen function can be set up on the app to record a GPS location whenever a tag or fob gets out of range, meaning you can go back and see just where you left something should you miss the alert.
The Proximo starter kit is less expensive than the Cirago iAlertTag, which costs $49.99 per tag, and lets you keep tabs on two devices right out of the box. Proximo is also more feature-rich thanks to its superb app, which can give you an exact last location and tell you if you're getting close or not as you search. If you have more than five items you'd like to tag, however, the iAlert has the advantage there with a maximum of eight tags per phone. For the very forgetful, the Proximo is definitely worth checking out.?
More Accessory Reviews: ??? Kensington Proximo Starter Kit ??? Sensu Brush Portable Artist Brush and Stylus ??? Martian Passport Watch ??? Kanex DoubleUp Dual USB Charger ??? Bheestie Bag ?? more
Apple could be guilty of trying to bribe Russian officials through a seminar in London, according to Russian news agency Regnum. The service says that Apple is organizing a week-long event during which Russian regional ministers of education and other officials, responsible for public purchases, will be familiarized with Apple products. People participating in the event will stay in downtown London, and visit Apple Stores outside customer hours.
The controversy lies with the timing of the trip, since the Russian government is said to be preparing equipment modernization tenders worth up to 2 billion rubles ($66.5 million) per region. Russia's National Anti-Corruption Committee is arguing for an investigation, because if the officials' trips were financed by Apple that could be seen as undue influence, and even if the trips were paid for by regional governments, the Russian Audit Chamber may need to step in.
Apple tells Regnum that it paid for the trips of trainers, but not government officials. The company is heavily involved with the educational market; although most of its sales are to the general public, Macs are a staple of many Western schools, and are rapidly being joined by iPads.
I grew up the daughter of an airline family.? At various points in my life my mother, father, grandfather, uncle, older sister, two aunts and two uncles all worked for an airline in one way or the other-ticket counter, manager, pilot, management, flight attendant, reservations, you name it.? In the airline industry, you put up with a lot of stress in exchange for travel benefits.? So, we traveled.? A lot. I grew up with the expectation that every couple of months you take a long weekend or longer to Arizona, or Hawaii, or Disneyland.? Sometimes even on more adventurous vacations out of the country.? After graduating high school I was terrified of the prospect of losing that lifestyle so I went to work for the airlines myself.? But after a couple of years I realized, as previously mentioned, those benefits come at the price of lots of stress.? And, starting out, I made so little money I rarely could afford to go anywhere anyway, even with the benefits.? Skip forward, for this and many other reasons, I decided to finish the degree I had been slowly, spottily working on.? I figured I could get a degree and be able to afford to travel full fare anyway.? Voila, right?
Ha.? Years and years later and I still have the expectation and itch to go somewhere every couple of months.? I get very antsy if I don?t have some change of scenery.? I think that is also why I have moved so much, or constantly rearrange the furniture.? But it doesn?t work out that often, beyond visiting relatives by car-the most 5 hours away.? If we go anywhere that is truly a vacation, it?s every couple of years, and with my parents who we love to travel with, but makes me still feel like a child sometimes.? It requires carefully saving up money and miles. I know some people rarely go anywhere at all, and maybe this sounds snobbish, but it really is an uncontrollable itch.? Needless to say we, or more importantly, I do not scratch the itch as much as I feel I need to, whether the itch is rational or not.
As a parent, I look back on the experiences traveling I had as a child.? How it shaped me.? My travels stirred compassion, awe, inspiration, tolerance and awareness.? I wouldn?t be the person I am today without witnessing poverty in the streets of Hong Kong; the contrast of overcrowded industrial cities vs. the vastness of the desert or other quiet parts of the world; the colors of the Great Barrier Reef, the rich life hidden below the surface of the water, invisible to the rest of the world. The colors of the world.
I want that sense of inspiration and understanding for my children too, even if we can?t physically go far.? Not too long ago I read ?Paris in Love? by Eloisa James and was telling my children about Paris.? They were particularly impressed when I told them about all the yummy food and the typical meals there.? I had them at ?In the summer, sometimes French children eat ice cream for breakfast,? something I had read on the internet but had no idea if it was really true.? The response was ?Let?s go!?? We wished.? To let them down gently I said ?Let?s pretend to go.?? And so French Day was born.
The question was, how do you extract the essence of a far away place and infuse it into your home, a day in your very different life?? It?s hard to actually pretend like you are standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. ? We could attempt to build a model of the Eiffel Tower.? We could check out books at the library and study the country, learn the facts.? But that all feels so schoolish, and that takes the fun out of it.? This is no homeschooling, this is vacation, a kind of staycation.
We were just going to have to be French, I thought.? And what are the French about?? Fashion and food?? Well, I had little chance of luring the boys into the fashion world, but my boys are like men: the way to their hearts is through their stomach.
We would eat.? And through eating, we would experience.? So, I donned my fanciest scarf and skinny pants, a nod to the fashion part, and headed out the door one recent morning to Sweet Life Patisserie.? If the name has French in it, good enough for us.
If the French indulge in moderation, we would too.? We all chose one item, plus one extra, and shared.? A croissant, a cherry chocolate scone, a French cinnamon breakfast muffin, and the very French pain au chocolate.? The boys had hot chocolate and I had a cafe au lait.
Breakfast
We took our time, really savoring each delicious bite, enjoying the rare treat.? We discussed our opinions on which was the best.
Nothing compares to flaky pastries.
We went about our day, going to the library and even checking out some books on France to look at.? We cut these out and used them as a backdrop on our dining room table.
Paper City Paris
I made a four course lunch of a simple salad, beef stewed in red wine with a baguette, French cheese (mimolette-like a hard sharp cheddar -nothing stinky!) pears, a French red wine (it wasn?t very good so I won?t bother posting the name) and custard eclairs we took home from Sweet Life.? The paper city also provided some discussion prompts over our long, lingering lunch.? We ate for two hours.? But mimicking the French, we ate so slowly and moderately that after lunch I was pleasantly full, instead of stuffed.? It was nice.
We spent the afternoon looking at books and talking about France.? We looked at pictures of the art, read about the architecture, learned about it?s geography and it?s people.? We practiced speaking French with a CD from the library.? I told them stories my French teacher in college told me.? But really, for us it was all about the French art of eating.? The breaks between meals was intermission, with eager anticipation of what was next on the menu.
Supper was simple, simple for the French anyway: roast beef and crudite with French onion dip, a sausage and bean cassoulet with the last of the baguette, and more cheese, fruit and wine.? We took our time and I asked the boys what their favorite part of the day was.? Breakfast at Sweet Life was the star, and I admit for my sweet tooth as well.? I asked if they had learned anything about France.? They came up with nothing.? Which is ok, because for me I learned that this staycation was more than a vacation, more than experiencing a different culture, more than it?s food,? more than it?s language.? For me, the unexpected learning experience was that I learned a different way to be with my children.? I learned to give into indulgences with them, and to be fully present with them.? Our daily operating status, like many families I believe, is the kids are off playing or reading or whatever, while I am cleaning, cooking, or whatever I need to do to maintain our home, the chickens, the garden, the schedule.? As they grow older, I spend less bonding time with them.? French Day, our mini vacation, was not just a vacation into a different world, it was a vacation from how we operate on a daily basis.? We sat together at the table, talking for long periods of time.? We spent time looking at books and delving into our subject.? For a whole day.
Even if we were actually on vacation, if we truly were in France, my methodical and systematic mind would be focused on organizing our sightseeing, that days plan and the next.? I would be focused on the different awareness I adopt when traveling, in retrospect a rather cranky one, that focuses on ensuring I don?t lose my children in a foreign place and keeping them from making too much noise in a hotel room.
What I learned was how to be leisurely with my children.? Which is funny, because part of being French is leisure.
The tone of this thread will be a mixture of the dark humor of Black Bulter, violence of Hellsing (OVA/Manga) with the snarkiness of Devil May Cry with a flair of The Godfather.
January 5th, 2013
Location: New York City
Operatives: Sector Jackel and Sector Hyde
Mission: Apprend rouge informant
Additional Notes: Keep public damage to a miniumum i.e NO EXPLOSIVES
It was a cold and wet day in New York City with a light rain starting to fall from the sky. The once busy streets of Dante Avenue were practially vacant for one single reason SLAYER operatives were currently on a mission. Said operatives were currently located inside a black van attempting to work out a plan...as well as refrain from killing each other.
"Our target is a Ferin by the name of Alexander Yente, who is currently under the guise of a human tattoo artist. Despite his status as netural he has been useful to our sector of Jackel as an informatant due to his personal relations with a servant of the Rein Crime Family, said servant is currently unidentifed by our reporters."
Glasses shined slightly for a moment as they were adjusted with a gloved hand revealing cold blue eyes staring intently at the file. The smooth voice continued reading as he turned the page of the file "Our target has been declared missing as of last week when he failed to show up for report. That is our mission to find our missing link so to speak".
"Maybe he just was out chasing some new tail. Don?t those Ferin go into heat around this time?"
A gruff new voice asked with impatience. Hiding out was not part of a Hyde's job. Hell, there was a reason he was currently even there was because the place they were staking out at was known for aggressive clients none too fond of humans unless they were a food source.
"That is beside the point; you don't seem to understand without him our Intel is as good as non-existent. Any future conflicts with the Rein family would be a grim situation even for you Hyde combatants."
"Any fight is a fight I am determined to win Suit. There is a reason I brought Gretel with me for this little mission". The rough voice spoke with a cheerful tone as the burly man gently patted the rocket launcher at his side.
Suit rolled his eyes as the large weapon. Hyde operatives were renowned in SLAYER for their combat skills; however silence was not in their skillset. As far as Suit was concerned the Hyde sector was all brawn and no brain..Tank was no exception. A loud beep broke the awkward silence as Suit nodded as the coordinator at SLAYER gave them the all clear to start the second phase of their mission. Casing the building itself and hopefully locating their target. The duo went over their plan once before stepping out into the now pouring rain.
Their destination was the vacant building in which they had been watching for the past two hours. Suit knew otherwise thanks to his glasses which allowed him to see through any type of camouflage magic or not. Adjusting the frame of his glasses with a small tap, data streamed across the glass before vanishing. Suit?s stoic demeanor broke for a moment as the building remained the same as ever aside from a bright neon sign boldly displaying ?W: Brothel and Bar?. A smirk appeared as Suit caught the wolfish smile of Tank who was gaping at the sign.
?What thought that you were the only one who knew about this place? The joys of technology my friend rendering any magical concealment worthless like a cheap trick...?
It was Tank?s turn to smirk as he slung an arm over the gangly frame of Suit, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes boldly stating ?Nah, I am just surprised you even know about this place. Everyone figured you were about as sexual as a rock.?
Tank grinned as he ruffled the man?s coal hair with a rough hand, much to the annoyance of the owner who swatted the hand away with surprising speed. His playful demeanor vanished as he was suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun. More specifically a pistol with a silencer in the right hand of an irritated Suit.
?Shut up and go around back NOW. Before I blow your damn head off and leave you to the strays to pick your corpse.?
?Morbid fellow aren?t you Suit.? Tank chuckled before heading into the alleyway for once being serious about his job, at least for now.
Suit placed the gun back into his suit with a sigh before entering the brothel with a blank face. The interior of the building smelled of alcohol and sex..an extremely nauseating combination. Suit glanced through the crowds trying to find his target. His search was interrupted by a buxom woman practically draping her scantily clad figure across Suit?s form painted lips pursed in a pout.
?Looking for someone handsome? Or perhaps just a good time?? The woman purred with lust dripping in her voice. A classic Ferin in heat still dangerous despite possibly being compromised. Suit?s cold eyes traced the woman?s form eyeing the tattoos that covered her body like a second form. ?Of course, I am darling allow me to escort you to somewhere..more private?
Gently grabbing the woman?s wrist Suit pulled her through the crowd out into the crisp air his hair rapidly becoming soaked from the rain. Slicking his hair back with a hand he shoved the woman against the wall. The woman gasped in surprise as her back collided roughly with the brick, her eyes darkening with desire. ?It?s okay sir..I like it rough?
Suit grinned at that comment before laughing coldly and stepping back with his gloved hands in his pocket. The large figure of Tank appeared behind him along with the glint of brass knuckles that lined his fingers.
?Now, lady I would hate to hit a girl..but we all know you an?t no gentlewoman? Tank grinned before gripping the slender throat of the shocked woman. ?Enough games Alexander we caught you so give up the act?
The woman hissed through her teeth as her ?tattoos? rapidly began to move before consuming her entire figure. Tank quickly removed his hand as the ink attempted to crawl onto the man?s hand like a type of parasite.
?Welcome back to the land of testosterone Alexander?I will never understand why you chose to cloak yourself in such a feminine form.? Alexander merely smirked with cocky look before brushing off his crisp white shirt.
Tank stood shocked as the man who was a she was acting so calm despite going through a complete transformation. Nothing on the Ferin?s file stated he had the power to change gender. A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his shocked state. ? No need to look so worried Tank, Alexander was merely cloaking himself with his ink in the form a woman. He cannot not switch genders without medical procedures as far as I know. Am I correct Alex??
?Yes you are Suit. I apologize for frightening your little giant. I couldn?t help myself humans are such amusing creatures.? Suit grinned for the first time before calling in back to SLAYER headquarters. ? Target has been found and is willing to corporate. Mission complete?. His blue eyes glanced at Alexander who was merely toying with Tank now by constantly changing his hair color from crimson to a bubblegum pink.
Taping his glasses once more this time having them act as a recording device he readied himself to interview Alexander. Alexander?s antics stopped upon seeing a the blinking red light on the lens of the glasses.
?I do have a good reason for not reporting in Suit.?
Tank merely rolled his eyes and inched toward the handle of Gretel, ready at any moment to send an explosive rocket into the Ferin before him at any sign of hostile or dishonesty.
? Oh really what would that be??
?I was nearly murdered by another Ferin in the service of a rival family. My darling little Vixen graciously allowed me to copy her form in order to hide out in her master?s house. Now those were some interesting nights?? Suit held up his hand to cut off anymore unwanted monologues of Alexander?s love life. That was one thing that he did not need to include in the report. The only thing was of any use was the fact that it seemed tensions between rival families was growing once more.
It would be up to SLAYER to stand as the barrier between the supernatural and the public. After all the human public did not need to know what truly went bump in the night.
ADVANCE FOR RELEASE UNTIL 12:01 a.m. EST,WEDNESDAY, JAN, 23, 2013. THIS PHOTO MAY NOT BE POSTED ONLINE, BROADCAST OR PUBLISHED BEFORE 12:01 a.m. WEDNESDAY, JAN, 23, 2013- FILE - In this Wednesday, June, 15, 2011, file photo, job seekers wait in a line at a job fair in Southfield, Mich. In the United States, half of the 7.5 million jobs lost during the Great Recession were paid middle-class wages, ranging from $37,000 to $68,000. But only 2 percent of the 3.4 million jobs gained since the recession are mid-pay. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
Labor ? Because of advances, positions lost during Great Recession not likely coming back.
Five years after the start of the Great Recession, the toll is terrifyingly clear. Millions of middle-class jobs have been lost in developed countries the world over.
And the situation is even worse than it appears.
?
From Utah, a dissenting voice
Jobs in the state probably are being lost to technology, ?but that always happens,? and it isn?t a bad thing, said Mark Knold, chief economist at the Utah Department of Workforce Services and an adherent of the process of ?creative destruction,? a concept coined by economist Joseph Schumpeter.
Schumpeter, who died in 1950, believed free markets are constantly renewed and energized by the process of tearing down old economic structures and creating new ones. That natural mutation of the economy is both inevitable and good, Knold said.
?There was a blue ribbon panel commissioned by [former President] Lyndon Johnson in 1964 to address fears that machines and technology were going to replace workers, and we have added millions workers since then,? Knold said.
?What was hard for them to see is that those innovations did replace workers in certain areas, but they also spurred innovation and productivity to the point where it created so many jobs in other areas. [Technology] wasn?t a job destroyer. It was a job creator.?
The number of jobs in the U.S. has almost tripled since the mid-1960s, to more than 143 million. Knold said that increasing the newer jobs have become more sophisticated, ?higher quality? and have commanded better pay. That shift is requiring more of workers in the U.S. and Utah labor forces, which stand at 155.5 million and 1.4 million, respectively.
?In our father?s day, [young people] could come out of high school and get a good-paying, sweat-of-the-brow job at Kennecott or Geneva Steel,? Knold said. No longer, he added, because ?good jobs now need education, [and] I would say that the shift toward more education in the job market is accelerating, not decelerating.?
Knold said Utah took part in a worldwide technological revolution in the years leading up to the start of the Great Recession in 2007. Rather than throw people out of work, the economy before the downturn generated thousands of jobs and drove the unemployment rate under 2.5 percent for awhile.
?And then we had a bad recession. But this recession was not the result of technology or any bad spinoff of technology advancements. This recession is the result of bad government policies and mismanagement of the financial sector,? he said.
Knold doesn?t see much evidence that Utah employers are replacing better-paying jobs with lower-paying ones. On one hand, there are fewer retail, construction and manufacturing jobs today than before the recession started. On the other, sectors such as professional and business services, health care, education and government ? all of which ostensibly pay workers well ? are more numerous.
Paul Beebe
Most of the jobs will never return, and millions more are likely to vanish, say experts who study the labor market. What?s more, these jobs aren?t just being lost to China and other developing countries, and they aren?t just factory work. Increasingly, jobs are disappearing in the service sector, home to two-thirds of all workers.
They?re being obliterated by technology.
Year after year, the software that runs computers and an array of other machines and devices becomes more sophisticated and powerful and capable of doing more efficiently tasks that humans have always done. For decades, science fiction warned of a future when we would be architects of our own obsolescence, replaced by our machines; an Associated Press analysis finds that the future has arrived.
Not many get a pass ? "The jobs that are going away aren?t coming back," said Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-author of Race Against the Machine. ??I have never seen a period where computers demonstrated as many skills and abilities as they have over the past seven years."
The global economy is being reshaped by machines that generate and analyze vast amounts of data; by devices such as smartphones and tablet computers that let people work just about anywhere, even when they?re on the move; by smarter, nimbler robots; and by services that let businesses rent computing power when they need it, instead of installing expensive equipment and hiring IT staffs to run it. Whole employment categories, from secretaries to travel agents, are starting to disappear.
"There?s no sector of the economy that?s going to get a pass," said Martin Ford, who runs a software company and wrote The Lights in the Tunnel, a book predicting widespread job losses. "It?s everywhere."
The numbers startle even labor economists. In the United States, half the 7.5 million jobs lost during the Great Recession were in industries that pay middle-class wages, ranging from $38,000 to $68,000. But only 2 percent of the 3.5 million jobs gained since the recession ended in June 2009 are in midpay industries. Nearly 70 percent are in low-pay industries, 29 percent in industries that pay well.
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In the 17 European countries that use the euro as their currency, the numbers are even worse. Almost 4.3 million low-pay jobs have been gained since mid-2009, but the loss of midpay jobs has never stopped. A total of 7.6 million disappeared from January 2008 through last June.
Experts warn that this "hollowing out" of the middle-class workforce is far from over. They predict the loss of millions more jobs as technology becomes even more sophisticated and reaches deeper into our lives. Maarten Goos, an economist at the University of Leuven in Belgium, says Europe could double its middle-class job losses.
Some occupations are beneficiaries of the march of technology, such as software engineers and app designers for smartphones and tablet computers. Overall, though, technology is eliminating far more jobs than it is creating.
Technology?s march ? To understand the impact technology is having on middle-class jobs in developed countries, the AP analyzed employment data from 20 countries; tracked changes in hiring by industry, pay and task; compared job losses and gains during recessions and expansions over the past four decades; and interviewed economists, technology experts, robot manufacturers, software developers, entrepreneurs and people in the labor force who ranged from CEOs to the unemployed.
The AP?s key findings:
? For more than three decades, technology has reduced the number of jobs in manufacturing. Robots and other machines controlled by computer programs work faster and make fewer mistakes than humans. Now, that same efficiency is being unleashed in the service economy, which employs more than two-thirds of the workforce in developed countries. Technology is eliminating jobs in office buildings, retail establishments and other businesses consumers deal with every day.
? Technology is being adopted by every kind of organization that employs people. It?s replacing workers in large corporations and small businesses, established companies and startups. It?s being used by schools, colleges and universities; hospitals and other medical facilities; nonprofit organizations and the military.
? The most vulnerable workers are doing repetitive tasks that programmers can write software for ? an accountant checking a list of numbers, an office manager filing forms, a paralegal reviewing documents for key words to help in a case. As software becomes even more sophisticated, victims are expected to include those who juggle tasks, such as supervisors and managers ? workers who thought they were protected by a college degree.
? Thanks to technology, companies in the Standard & Poor?s 500 stock index reported one-third more profit the past year than they earned the year before the Great Recession. They?ve also expanded their businesses, but total employment, at 21.1 million, has declined by a half-million.
? Startups account for much of the job growth in developed economies, but software is allowing entrepreneurs to launch businesses with a third fewer employees than in the 1990s. There is less need for administrative support and back-office jobs that handle accounting, payroll and benefits.
A jobless recovery ? Some analysts reject the idea that technology has been a big job killer. They note that the collapse of the housing market in the U.S., Ireland, Spain and other countries and the ensuing global recession wiped out millions of middle-class construction and factory jobs. In their view, governments could bring many of the jobs back if they would put aside worries about their heavy debts and spend more. Others note that jobs continue to be lost to China, India and other countries in the developing world.
But to the extent technology has played a role, it raises the specter of high unemployment even after economic growth accelerates. Some economists say millions of middle-class workers must be retrained to do other jobs if they hope to get work again. Others are more hopeful. They note that technological change over the centuries eventually has created more jobs than it destroyed, although the wait can be long and painful.
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Call them super leaks, super teasers or super previews. But for a growing number of Super Bowl advertisers, they are super smart business.
For years, Super Bowl commercials were closely guarded secrets until they aired on the biggest ratings day of the year. These days, companies have discovered that teasing them online in advance of the big day is a more efficient way of getting their brand message in front of the masses.
CBS, which will broadcast Super Bowl XLVII on?Feb. 3, sold 30-second ad slots for up to $4 million, so it?s no wonder advertisers try to squeeze every drop of value out of their investment.
"We are seeing more teasers because they have been effective," said?Steve Posavac, professor of marketing at Vanderbilt University. "This year, many advertisers feel that if they don?t release a teaser, they will fail to gain consumers? mindshare, and that their ads will be lost in the clutter."
Mercedes-Benz roared out of the starting line first last week, with its spot featuring Kate Upton. Strutting in daisy dukes and a low cut tank top, the striking supermodel blows suds in slow motion at a group of guys as they wash her Benz and ogle her frame, mouths agape.
Though it shows less skin than a standard shampoo commercial -- and seems demure in comparison to?Upton's past backseat turn for Carl's Jr.?last year ? it has already drummed up plenty of buzz. As of Friday night, the teaser racked has up more than 4.6 million YouTube views.
That?s right, more than a week before the San Francisco 49ers face the Baltimore Ravens, Mercedes-Benz?s ad is already a success. And, thanks to the Parents? Television Council, we have the first Super Bowl controversy.
"This ad [reinforces] for millions of wives, daughters and sisters across the country that you use your sex appeal to get what you want," a Parents' Television Council spokesperson told the Daily Mail, complaining that the ad "isn't selling cars, it?s selling sexual objectification."
The sound bite provided global media outlets (ours included) the perfect news hook. In the following days, the ad has been discussed, analyzed, and played over and over again, at no cost to the Mercedes. Talk about return on investment!
The luxury German automaker isn?t the only player in this game. Coca-Cola, Sketchers, Wonderful Pistachios (with 'Gagngam Style' superstar Psy) and MiO (with Tracy Morgan) have released previews.
Coke is also making a huge social media play with its "Mirage" campaign. In it, three quirky character-driven groups -- show girls, badlanders, and cowboys -- race across an African desert to be the first to reach the thirst-quenching Coca-Cola oasis. A preview spot is circulating online encouraging viewers to vote online to determine which group ends up winning in the final spot. Online surfers can either vote by "old-fashioned" online button clicking, or vote-casting with the Twitter hashtags #CokeCowboys, #CokeShowgirls and #CokeBadlanders.
The beverage giant?s advertising company has also cooked up animated gifs, "sabotage videos" and other content ready-made for Tweeting, Tumbling, Instagramming, and Facebooking.?
Indeed,?Coke?has come a long way from Mean Joe Greene?s jersey toss in Coke?s legendary commercial 34 years ago.
The reason for the big social push is simple: More shares equal more views, which equals more brand exposure.
"Without a social media component, a Super Bowl ad is worthless," said?David Johnson, CEO of public relations agency Strategic Vision.
Social has risen and advertisers are rising to meet it.
"Three quarters of the audience will be on a 'second screen' during the Super Bowl,? said Ankarino Lara, chief product officer for Thismoment, which builds branded online content distribution software. "The biggest brands recognize the audience shift and plan mobile and on live elements in their campaigns."
According to data by the Unruly Viral Video Chart, the "Billboard 100 of viral videos," 75 percent of the top 20 most-shared ads from Super Bowl 2012 went up online before game day;? 55 percent of sharing happened after March 1, 2012; and total Super Bowl ads shares increased by 129 percent from 2011 to 2012.
Audi is taking a similar "choose your own adventure" approach as Coke's. On Thursday night, it posted the beginning of its ad, showing a kid driving to his high school prom dateless but in his dad's new 2013 Audi S6 high-performance sports sedan. The German automaker also uploaded three versions of the ending, giving viewers 24 hours to vote on which one will make the final cut.
Other companies are also hopping on the social bandwagon:?
Doritos has reprised its annual "Crash the Super Bowl" contest, allowing a fan-made commercial to air during the game.?
Lincoln has teamed up with Jimmy Fallon to let fans write the script for its commercial on Twitter with the hashtag #Steerthescript.?
Pepsi, Pizza Hut and Toyota will include fan-submitted photos in a commercial.?
VW is promoting the #GetHappy hashtag.
Advertisers still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, though, and some are deliberately taking an "anti-leak" strategy that still has an eye on Twitter impact.
"Some advertisers are holding back ads for a 'surprise' factor and for the instant chatter that will take place on social media during the game," said Katherine Wintsch, founder of The Mom Complex, an Interpublic Group of Companies unit focused on marketing to mothers.
Brands still place a premium on using the Super Bowl as the ultimate stage for product debuts; Anheuser-Busch is going to debut two new drinks at the game: Budweiser Black Crown and Beck's Sapphire.
"I don?t know what it is, but everyone finds humor in dog ads or baby ads," John Yorke, President of creative firm Rain 43, said. "Last year, we saw lots of both ? and the highest rated ads came from these categories ? so if it ain?t broke, don?t fix it ? expect to see more of this trend."?
WASHINGTON???The hacker-activist group Anonymous says it hijacked the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission to avenge the death of Aaron Swartz, an Internet activist who committed suicide. The FBI is investigating.
The website of the commission, an independent agency of the judicial branch (http://www.ussc.gov), was taken over early Saturday and replaced with a message warning that when Swartz killed himself two weeks ago "a line was crossed."
The hackers say they've infiltrated several government computer systems and copied secret information that they now threaten to make public.
Family and friends of Swartz, who helped create Reddit and RSS, say he killed himself after he was hounded by federal prosecutors. Officials say he helped post millions of court documents for free online, and that he illegally downloaded millions of academic articles from an online clearinghouse.
The FBI's Richard McFeely, executive assistant director of the agency's?Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, said in a statement that "we were aware as soon as it happened and are handling it as a criminal investigation. We are always concerned when someone illegally accesses another person's or government agency's network."
Hours after the hijacking, pages on the USSC.gov website were available only sporadically.
This report was updated by NBC News.
? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
VIENNA (AP) ? Austrian parliamentarians and invited guests are gathering to watch the premiere of an opera depicting how Nazis methodically killed mentally or physically deficient children at a Vienna hospital during World War II.
"Spiegelgrund" is the work of Austrian composer Peter Androsch, whose great grandfather died in a concentration camp. Friday's performance will mark International Holocaust Day in Austria ? a nation still atoning for its role in atrocities committed by the Nazis during the war.
The opera is being performed in a chamber of parliament used for special sessions and ceremonial events, and shown on Internet, starting at 1600 GMT (11 a.m. EST).
Since the war, Austria has gone from denial to full recognition of its part in Nazi atrocities.
Your dog or cats poop is a kind of Google on your pet's health. Pay attention it. I've been saying this for quite some time, even spoke about the etiquette of picking up after your pup on The Oprah Winfrey Show a number of years ago. That's one reason why Dr. Donna Solomon's blog about feces struck a cord. She mentions how everyone in the studio blushed when Dr. Mehmet Oz talked poop on an Oprah show.
There are many details about poop.
Picking up isn't only is the?neighborly?thing to do - it's for the best interest of all pets in the community.?It's true there are some potential health issues to people, according to veterinary?parisitologist Dr. Dwight Bowman of the?Companion Animal Parasite Council?and Cornell University College of?Veterinary Medicine including roundworm, salmonella andcamplobacteriosis. Giardia, roundworm and whipworm can be spread to other dogs, even the parvovirus to those not vaccinated
Also, as one now retired Chicago Alderman famously said "Dog poop is like caviar for rats." That's not exactly true in that rats don't relish dog poop - but like most things, they will cheerily eat the poo if they're hungry enough.
And at this time of year, complaints skyrocket across the nation. I don't know why, but people believe the stuff is going to somehow disintegrate if there's snow. Or in the winter, maybe people are just too cold to bend over and pick up.
And leaving it out, may mean another dog will scarf up the poo. A community service? Well, not quite. Dogs that eat other dog's "stuff" have a condition known as coprophagia.
When you do pick up, I am a fan of biodegradable poop bags (of course, I am.).
Also, as Solomon so well describes in her blog, "The Scoop on Your Pet's Poop," what comes out the other end offers great insight into your pet's overall health. Hope you're not eating as you read this - but it's true, color, consistency, shape/size,?frequency?and location all matter.
And as Solomon says - and I agree, next time your pet poos, don't look away....instead, pay attention and then either pick it up outside or scoop the cat box inside. And get a clothespin.
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Filed under: cats, dogs, pets, veterinary health
Tags: coprophagia, Dr. Donna Solomon, frozen pet poo, pet feces, pet poop, scoop cat box, Scoop the Poop, scooping after dog, Steve Dale archives, value of pet poop
I'm in a relationship for almost a year and a half.
I love my GF and she loves me. However, from a very early stage I feel almost no attraction, and sex doesn?t come easily and isn't as fulfilling as it should.
My GF is 29 yo and I am 34 yo. I do want to get married and have a bit more than one or two kids (probably 4-5, if it works we cannot control what g-d upstairs have in store for us), so the age of me and my now or any future GF is a factor. I feel discouraged from both the possibility of hurting my GF, I cannot see her hurt, and whenever things didn?t work or the option of break up came, I fell apart with her. Also, the option of starting over at this relatively late stage is rather discouraging.
There are some things in which we are compatible and lots of warmth, understanding and taking the good with the bad. Some things are not perfect, not ideal and in some aspects we go on different directions or a bit stuck for some time, maybe because of the relationship and maybe because of the indecision. However, we see the family cell and its workings very similarly.
I had the problem of previously finding good girls which I am not very attracted to before, but not to the extent I'm experiencing now, or at least I broke those kind of relationships pretty early. It is possible for me to be very sexually driven. However, whether I unconsciously ruin it for myself when a potentially good spouses arrive or choosing from the beginning incompatible matches for serious relationships, I cannot honestly say for sure.
There are always interested third parties, but for several month now I have shut them down, although I flirted a little bit before, due to insecurity in the relationship and my wish to see if it is a physical issue or inside this relationship issue. Now I know I can still be very attracted to other women. I didn't however sleep with other women, though explicit offers were given. I do not want to cheat and even the flirting felt like cheating to me, for however good or bad reasons.
My GF is sexually interested, although I shut her down a bit, not intentionally.
She wants to get married and the offer was open for some time. I also want marriage, but am afraid of entering into an unsatisfying long term relationship and also hurting her continually.
Can it get much better after marriage if the pressure of deciding is already off the table and we are sexual to a normal extent?
Is there a chance for a good but not very sexual relationship?
Can there be a relationship without much attraction?
Google provides people who have been using Adwords and possess a strong, working understanding of it, an opportunity to display their knowledge and expertise to potential employers. Once the AdWords certification exam is taken and passed, an individual is given an ?AdWords Qualified Individual? certificate. The exam consists of two individual exams, one based on the fundamentals of advertising and the other, of an advanced level. Companies are also given a chance to become an ?AdWords Certified Partner? by going through a similar process.
By enrolling into the Internet Marketing University of Canada you will gain the skills and the expertise you need to run your own internet marketing campaigns and profit from the web. To enroll into the Internet Marketing University of Canada, please add the desired courses and/or programs to the shopping cart. You can also try the Course Selector to find the right courses and programs for you and your business.
Heather is a full-time Realtor and a consistent top producer in the local Crested Butte, Almont and Gunnison markets.
Heather takes great pride in giving unparalleled customer service and is dedicated to her clients and their individual needs. Her number one priority is to provide service above and beyond her clients? expectations. She will dedicate her time, attention, energy and knowledge during and after each transaction. Read More
A painter touches up an entrance post outside the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, in preparation for this weekend's 57th Presidential Inauguration, where President Barack Obama will be sworn in for a second term. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
A painter touches up an entrance post outside the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, in preparation for this weekend's 57th Presidential Inauguration, where President Barack Obama will be sworn in for a second term. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Graphic shows inauguration details and election results; UPDATES with additional seating details
A cyclist prepares to pass visitors standing in front of the Inaugural Parade Reviewing Stand outside the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, in preparation for this weekend's 57th Presidential Inauguration" where President Barack Obama will be sworn in for a second term. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama has been looking to historians for guidance on how to shape his second inaugural's words into a speech for the ages, eager to make good use of his twice-in-a-lifetime opportunity to command the world's attention.
He will take the oath of office Sunday in an intimate White House ceremony witnessed by family, and then again Monday at the Capitol before a crowd of hundreds of thousands on the National Mall. Washington will also play host to the traditional inaugural parade and formal balls Monday, as well as a day of service Saturday that kicks off the festivities.
But it's Obama's inaugural address that will be the centerpiece of the three-day affair. The president will seek to turn the page on a first term consumed by economic turmoil and set an optimistic tone for four more years that will help define his legacy.
The president has been working on his speech since early December, writing out draft after draft on yellow legal pads, aides say. He's read several second-term inaugural addressed delivered by his predecessors. And last week, he invited a small group of historians to the White House to discuss the potential ? and the pitfalls ? of second-term inaugurals.
Heading into his speech, Obama does have history on his mind, particularly two of the great American leaders he most deeply admires, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. The start of Obama's second term coincides with the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of King's March on Washington, and he has chosen to take the public oath with his hand on both their bibles stacked together.
"Their actions, the movements they represented are the only reason it's possible for me to be inaugurated," Obama said of Lincoln and King in a video released Friday by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. "It's also a reminder for me that this country has gone through very tough times before but we always come out on the other side."
Aides say the president will touch on some of the challenges he'll take on in a second term but won't delve deeply into the policy objectives he'll tackle in the next four years. Those details will be saved for his Feb. 12 State of the Union address.
But the tone and theme of Monday's speech will set the stage for the policy fights to come. Obama may in some way to reference the Connecticut elementary school shooting that pushed gun control to the top of his agenda. He may also speak of a need to tackle comprehensive immigration reform, another second-term priority, and to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.
Obama's speech won't be overly political. But aides said he will make the point that while the nation's political system doesn't require politicians to resolve all of their differences, it does require Washington to act on issues where there is common ground. And he will speak about how the nation's core principles can still guide a country that has changed immensely since its founding.
The president was still working on his speech heading into inauguration weekend. He's been hammering out the details for many weeks with longtime speechwriter Jon Favreau, who worked with the president on his first inaugural address and nearly every other high-profile speech he's given since.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president takes the responsibility of a second term "enormously seriously."
"He didn't seek re-election just to be re-elected," Carney said. "He believes that we have work to do, and he believes that both the agenda he has put forward so far and the agenda he will put forward in the future will help this country move forward in a variety of ways. This is something he feels very deeply."
The crowd spread before Obama is expected to be much smaller than the record 1.8 million who packed the National Mall four years ago to see him sworn in as the nation's first black president. But the estimates of 600,000 to 800,000 this time still would make it the largest attendance ever for a second presidential inauguration.
Obama has cut back on some of the reveling from four years ago ? there will be no concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and only two balls instead of 10. But there will still be elaborate celebration ? a long list of top entertainment acts including Beyonce, Katy Perry and Brad Paisley have signed on to perform at the weekend's events, including the two official balls that are expected to draw around 40,000 people to the Washington Convention Center.
Part of Obama's weekend also will involve thanking the donors who are contributing toward his committee's $50 million fundraising goal to put on the celebration. The president and first lady hosted supporters Friday at the White House, and he planned to attend a Sunday night reception at the National Building Museum with more donors.
Obama is trying to expand the National Day of Service that begins the weekend's events Saturday ? a call for Americans across the country to honor King's legacy by serving their communities. He is hoping the day will become an inaugural tradition and also is looking toward his legacy with the speech.
The president sought advice from a small group of historians during a dinner at the White House last week. Beyond just the mechanics of second inaugural addresses, the dinner focused broadly on how presidents manage their second terms.
Perhaps more than any of his predecessors, Franklin D. Roosevelt's second inaugural address could serve as a model for Obama.
Each man took office amid economic turmoil that eased during his first four years in the White House. When Roosevelt spoke to the nation after taking the oath of office a second time, he reported economic progress but cautioned that there was more work to do. Obama has often voiced similar sentiments, using the signs of improvement as his justification for re-election throughout the 2012 campaign.
Obama may aim for brevity in Monday's speech. Still, he's certain to speak longer than Lincoln, who offered the nation just 700 words in his acclaimed second inaugural.
Douglas Brinkley, one of the historians who met with Obama, endorsed the "brief is better" strategy. But he also said that with Obama scaling back some of the grandeur of the broader inaugural celebration, there is an opportunity for his speech to become the focal point.
"This time around, I think the inaugural speech has to carry the day," Brinkley said. "There are less balls, fewer people. There's a chance to make this stand out."
The inaugural ceremonies are a national tradition but not constitutionally required. The 20th Amendment says the president and vice president automatically start their new terms at noon on Jan. 20.
Obama plans to take the oath officially shortly before noon Sunday in the White House's Blue Room, an oval space with majestic views of the South Lawn and the Washington Monument. Named for the color of the drapes, upholstery and carpet, it is not typically used for ceremonies and instead has primarily been a reception room as well as being the site of the only presidential wedding held in the White House, between Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsum in 1886.
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Follow Julie Pace on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC and Nedra Pickler at http://twitter.com/nedrapickler
Friday , 18 Jan 2013 A 2002 decision to strip Infinito of rights to develop the Las Cristinas mine did not breach a bilateral investment treaty between Canada and Venezuela, says the ICSID tribunal. Friday , 18 Jan 2013 South African power utility Eskom has withdrawn its objections to the takeover of Xstrata by Glencore, removing a potential hurdle to the $33 billion deal. Friday , 18 Jan 2013 Production fell last year mainly due to a harsh winter and geological problems at the Gedabek gold and copper mine. Friday , 18 Jan 2013 Amplats and the department of mineral resources have agreed to engage positively during the next 90 days to discuss the business review proposals. Friday , 18 Jan 2013 Energy Minister Federico Renjifo says miners already operating inside the park's boundaries in the country's northeast will be able to continue as long as they have the right permits. Friday , 18 Jan 2013 According to a filing on the Hong Kong exchange, trading of Glencore International Plc shares was suspended on Friday. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 C. Fipke Holdings, which has a right of first refusal on the sale, is alleging that BHP Billiton failed to comply with their joint venture agreement. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 The future storage of Germany?s gold reserves attracted more attention yesterday than the latest data from GFMS, which specializes in analysing precious metals. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 The government of Eritrea has rejected a report by Human Rights Watch that said forced labour was used to build a gold mine it owns with Canada?s Nevsun. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 Since Amplats announced its restructuring plan 2 days ago, yields on December 2015 dollar bonds of Aquarius Platinum slid 158 basis points to an eight-month low. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 Tanzania-focused African Barrick Gold posted a 9% drop in annual production despite a pick-up in mining in the fourth-quarter. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 "I can confirm that workers returned to duty as from the night shift on Wednesday and they are reporting to work this morning," Amplats spokeswoman Mpumi Sithole told Reuters. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 The WSJ reports that ArcelorMittal SA and Brazil?s Companhia Sider?rgica Nacional are the leading contenders to acquire ThyssenKrupp?s Alabama steel plant. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 Copper premiums have fallen more than 10% from mid-December levels to around $65-80 a tonne on the spot market in Rotterdam. Thursday , 17 Jan 2013 The company?s Ministro Hales, Radomiro Tomic, Gaby and Chuquicamata mines will benefit the most from the planned Luz Minera project to be located in Mejillones. Wednesday , 16 Jan 2013 According to a labour leader, workers will return to work from overnight shifts on Wednesday Wednesday , 16 Jan 2013 Two people familiar with the deal say Jindal has ended talks to buy Afferro after assessing its Cameroon iron ore reserves and will negotiate with two other African miners instead. Wednesday , 16 Jan 2013 Southern Copper is outperforming rivals as analysts forecast a profit rebound and as Peru?s president backs mining projects stalled by environmental opposition.
The follow-up to its successful iPhone app continues to expand into the iOS platform while ignoring other mobile channels so far. 1/17/2013 4:31:00 PMBy: Brian Jackson
Canada's most popular pizza delivery chain has now built out an iPad and iPhone app before touching other mobile platforms.
Pizza Pizza launched an iPad app Jan. 7 and is already taking orders for pies, pasta, and salads from users of Apple's tablet. It previously released an iPhone app in mid-2011 and quickly received more than 100,000 orders within six months. The mobile app was awarded by the Webbys, Canadian Marketing Association, and W3. Yet after two iOS apps being released, there's still no Android app in sight. Why?
It's what the pizza people want, says Melody Adhami, president of Toronto-based Plastic Mobile, the mobile development firm behind the app.
?We go based on analytics, so where we see the most traffic is where we invest more energy,? she says. ?The iPad traffic was ahead of the Android traffic when we started the initiative.?
Building a native app makes it easier for those mobile Web users to order pizza, she says. Plastic Mobile can focus on creating a nice user experience and took advantage of the iPad's greater screen real estate. The first thing served up, of course, is the menu. It highlights the specials and allows the order maker to see all of Pizza Pizza's options at once, whereas the iPhone cycled through those items using a carousel style interface.
The app has features like a visual pizza builder, one-click ordering to get the same thing you got last time, and a restaurant locater complete with GPS tracker and map. Some students can even use their meal cards to pay through the app.
The pizza chain that counts more than 600 restaurants can now also add iOS apps among its sales channels. Developing the iPad app was useful even though the iPhone app is compatible with the tablets, Adhami says.
?We thought we'd reach people at a different time,? she says. ?The phone might be something they do on the go. This is a more stationary, at home device.?
No numbers are available yet on downloads for the app, but it was featured by Apple during its first week in the App Store.
Pizza Pizza's iPad app has a visual builder tool.
Plastic Mobile was founded in 2008 and has an account office in New York. Called the ?queen of apps? by others at her firm, Adhami has advice for mobile developers that expand a smartphone app to tablet size.
?It's important to not overuse the space and clutter things,? she says.
If you're ready for lunch, the Pizza Pizza app can be downloaded for free from the app store. You'll have to pay for the pizza, though.
The primary purpose of Proximo is keeping your valuables nearby by triggering alerts on your iPhone, fob, or tags. Using the app you can set the sensitivity of the proximity sensor, which determines how far you need to be from a fob or tag to trigger an alert. You can also set the alert tone from a number of 8-bit-sounding jingles, with separate alerts for each fob and tag. You can disable the alert from the fob itself once found by pressing the button, while the Tag alert can only be disabled via the app. Pressing the button on the fob can also trigger the alert on your phone. The tag has no button, so you won't be able to trigger the alert on your phone when it's lost.?
we cannot control what g-d upstairs have in store for us), so the age of me and my now or any future GF is a factor. I feel discouraged from both the possibility of hurting my GF, I cannot see her hurt, and whenever things didn?t work or the option of break up came, I fell apart with her. Also, the option of starting over at this relatively late stage is rather discouraging.
Heather is a full-time Realtor and a consistent top producer in the local Crested Butte, Almont and Gunnison markets.