Thursday, July 12, 2012

Biden gives fiery defense of Obama at NAACP meeting

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/biden-gives-fiery-defense-u-black-rights-group-175132473.html

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Tour de France Polka Dot Jersey

photo by Mikel Ortega via FlickrThe polka dot jersey competition is a competition within the whole of the Tour de France. Points are awarded along most each day's race course to those who climb a specific incline first. It does not have to be a massive alpine mountain for points to be awarded either. The first person to climb a small hill can gain a single point. In a mountain top finish in a high category climb riders placing 1-10 can get 25 to 2 points.

The interesting thing about the polka dot jersey is some guys go strictly for king of the mountain points. It is possible to scoop up points along a long hilly stage and remain in the jersey without ever really contesting a true mountain stage win. There is a lot of strategy for those men that hope to wear the jersey.

Some guys pursue the king of the mountain in the flat early stages by being in so-called breakaways and grabbing the early race points. The may only have a couple of points but it will be enough for them to stay in the jersey until the true mountain stages. The prestige for the rider and his team is enough to try to get someone in the jersey and hold it for as long as possible.

During longer mountain stages, the polka dot jersey hopefuls will try to get in an early breakaway and grab the intermediate points along the way, if possible. They will try to hold on to the finish but typically these breaks are caught and someone else will win the stage. But for those going for the polka dot jersey they might be able to collect enough points to stay in the lead.

Source: http://www.squidoo.com/tour-de-france-polka-dot-jersey

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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

My fellow employees

My fellow employees

What is it to work in a store almost like Walmart?

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?My fellow employees?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "My fellow employees"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

User avatar
austyn101
Member for 1 years



Can I reserve the frozen food person? :3

User avatar
Whiskyness
Member for 0 years


I want a security guard! EPIC>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<WIN

User avatar
FamishedPants
Member for 0 years



Post a reply

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Reward sensitivity increases food 'wanting' following television 'junk food' commercials

Reward sensitivity increases food 'wanting' following television 'junk food' commercials [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 10-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jamie Price
admin@ssib.org
312-238-9068
Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior

7/10/12, Zurich, Switzerland. Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, sought to investigate personality traits that make some people more vulnerable to over-eating and weight gain.

Obesity rates have been partly attributed to the easy access of cheap, high calorie food. However, many individuals exposed to the same food lie well within the healthy weight range. In her study, Dr. Natalie Loxton proposed reward sensitivity as a key trait predisposing some individuals to be highly attracted to cues linked with appetitive food - such as a television commercial marketing junk food.

"We tested whether reward-sensitive individuals would experience greater pleasure and urge to eat after watching TV commercials featuring junk food, compared with those featuring healthy food or no food", Dr. Loxton said.

This independent study comprised of 75 men and women who watched a 30 minute film embedded with junk food, healthy food, or no food featured in the commercials. Participants rated the pleasantness of food images and their desire to eat after watching the films.

"As hypothesised, reward sensitivity was associated with an increase in urge to eat in the junk food condition. There was no association in the healthy food condition and a reduced desire to eat in the no food condition," she said.

Dr. Loxton also discovered that reward sensitivity was associated with greater liking of junk food images, but only for women. There was no effect of reward sensitivity on liking of healthy food or non-food images.

Dr. Loxton confirmed that these findings support the role of greater food wanting in high reward sensitive individuals in response to appetitive food cues.

###

Lead Author: Dr Natalie Loxton, The University of Queensland, Australia.

Co-Authors: S BYRNES, University of Queensland, Australia


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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


Reward sensitivity increases food 'wanting' following television 'junk food' commercials [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 10-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jamie Price
admin@ssib.org
312-238-9068
Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior

7/10/12, Zurich, Switzerland. Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, sought to investigate personality traits that make some people more vulnerable to over-eating and weight gain.

Obesity rates have been partly attributed to the easy access of cheap, high calorie food. However, many individuals exposed to the same food lie well within the healthy weight range. In her study, Dr. Natalie Loxton proposed reward sensitivity as a key trait predisposing some individuals to be highly attracted to cues linked with appetitive food - such as a television commercial marketing junk food.

"We tested whether reward-sensitive individuals would experience greater pleasure and urge to eat after watching TV commercials featuring junk food, compared with those featuring healthy food or no food", Dr. Loxton said.

This independent study comprised of 75 men and women who watched a 30 minute film embedded with junk food, healthy food, or no food featured in the commercials. Participants rated the pleasantness of food images and their desire to eat after watching the films.

"As hypothesised, reward sensitivity was associated with an increase in urge to eat in the junk food condition. There was no association in the healthy food condition and a reduced desire to eat in the no food condition," she said.

Dr. Loxton also discovered that reward sensitivity was associated with greater liking of junk food images, but only for women. There was no effect of reward sensitivity on liking of healthy food or non-food images.

Dr. Loxton confirmed that these findings support the role of greater food wanting in high reward sensitive individuals in response to appetitive food cues.

###

Lead Author: Dr Natalie Loxton, The University of Queensland, Australia.

Co-Authors: S BYRNES, University of Queensland, Australia


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-07/sfts-rsi070612.php

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Judge seeks audit of Chris Brown's community work

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-seeks-audit-chris-browns-community-214832959.html

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Dear Ginger: The fear of being left behind.

Dear Ginger,
As all of many of my close friends from school have been getting into serious relationships and some even getting engaged, I have found myself having a really hard time with the way that my friendships are now changing as a result. I have this constant fear in the back of my head of being left behind. I wanted to ask you if have any advice or encouragement from your season of singleness before getting engaged and then married. Did you have these struggles and if so, how did you handle them?
-M

Dear M,

Thank you so much for sharing your question today. I can totally identify with your struggles.??I know well the fears, the hopes, and the frustrations that you?ve expressed. I spent my teen years and most of my 20?s wondering if I was EVER going to have a relationship. Through those decades there were many weddings to attend, friends to cheer on, bridesmaid dresses to buy? and yet, there I was? still minus the ?plus one? portion of my invitations.

Most days I was okay filling my time with ministry, friendships, books, and goals. But catch me near a holiday, wedding, or after a chick flick? and you would have found me weeping on my bed at night, terrified that I would be the only one still on my own while all of my friends built new lives. I look back at those younger versions of myself ? 15,18, 20, 23, 26, 27 ? and see girl who was trying so hard to be Miss Independent and all the while desperately desiring to be claimed as someone?s ?dependent.?

So before I go into my thoughts and suggestions let me just say that I know none of this is going to be a perfect answer. I?m praying right now that it won?t feel like a pat response from a married woman. Half of the books on singleness on Christian bookshelves make me want to roll my eyes and pick up Harry Potter as a diversion instead. ?Dance like a wildflower princess!?? Lovely sentiment, but during my seasons of singleness, I just wanted someone to shoot straight and acknowledge that even though I trust the Lord, that sometimes waiting feels awful and horrible and painful. And sometimes it feels okay and not bad at all.

I went through a really warped time in my relationship with the Lord where I truly thought that unless I could be happy being a lonely, that I was being disobedient. But there?s a problem with that line of thinking: Then the Lord God said, ?It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.? (Genesis 2:18, NLT)

I felt like I was being more holy by being completely alone. That?s not good. In fact, GOD says it?s NOT GOOD for us to be alone. Yes, He has given us the gift of marriage, but He has also given us the gift of platonic relationships. Life is going to contain some lonely parts, but I don?t think we should punish ourselves with it. Some seasons will hold more friendships and relationships. Others will require that we depend upon the Lord and remain thankful for a small circle of friends.

I also had a time in my life where I honestly believed that as long as I wanted ?a someone? or to be married, that God was going to hold out on me until I learned to be content in the current situation. And while God does sometimes desire to teach us patience, there was another problem with my line of thinking.

And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ?You fathers?if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.? (Luke 11:9-13, NLT)

I would tell my 20-something?year old self that It?s okay to hope for and want marriage. It?s ok to want a relationship. It?s ok to ASK for a relationship. You don?t have to be ashamed of your requests or fearful of His response. Trust His timing and His desire to see you live an exciting and heroic story full of love.

But what do we do when everyone around us seems to be moving into a new season of life? We have to remember that relationships are seasonal. I?m working through that very concept with my counselor each week. I broke down crying out of loneliness and fear that I don?t give my friends enough attention. As we get older the breadth and span of our relationships get wider and wider: high school, college, camp, work, church, neighbors, family? and on and on! I can?t keep all of those balls in the air. As painful as it is, I had to finally realize that friendship works both ways. Some friends I bounce the ball to them and they joyfully send it right back. Others seem to? well, drop the ball. Mourning that change is healthy and necessary. We just have to be careful about hanging our happiness on a friendship or relationship. Of course it?s sad to see any relationship change, but we have to know that some friendships are seasonal. Will you still be able to find joy in the life God has given you even if your friendships change?

I think it?s also okay that you aren?t overwhelmed with joy for your friends right now. I think your heart to love them in spite of that fact shines through in the way you are seeking wisdom and advice during this season. You want to be joyful for your friends, I can hear it in the way you wrote about them. So why not ask? Cry out to God, surrendering your hurt and desires to Him a thousand times a day if you have to. Just remember that through every season, God is with you. He is near and not far off.

As you pray, acknowledge the blessings in your life. Ask God to show you ways you aren?t alone, and give thanks. I hope that you do have friends with whom you can be your real self ? even the hurt, disappointed and tear-stained version of yourself. We don?t have to go through the hard seasons alone. Rather than turning inward, let the community around you lift you up during this time. It?s okay to be the one who needs the encouragement!

I tend to find joy when I look outward. I know that my own pain is magnified when I focus all of my attention on me. Continue to serve and love those around you. Let yourself enjoy serving, giving, and receiving love.

Again ? my hope and humble prayer is that God will somehow use this rambling post to remind your heart how specifically and tender He loves you? in this and every season.

Following,
Ginger

p.s. You might check out an older series that touches on some of these themes: Live a better [love] story.

Source: http://www.gingerciminello.com/2012/07/11/dear-ginger-the-fear-of-being-left-behind/

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Texas tops CNBC's list of best states for business

featurepics.com

Texas is the most business-friendly state in the U.S.

By Scott Cohn, cnbc.com

?Texas has done it again.

The Lone Star State makes a triumphant return as? America?s top state for business ? its third time at the top of our rankings.

?Listen, there is a reason that Caterpillar moved their hydraulics manufacturing and their engine manufacturing to the state of Texas,? said Gov. Rick Perry in November during the CNBC Republican presidential debate.

We can attest to that.

In our sixth annual study, Texas racked up an impressive 1,604 points out of a possible 2,500, with top-10 finishe?s in six of our 10 categories of competitiveness. Texas has never finished below second place since we began the study in 2007.?

Each year, we score all 50 states on the criteria they use to sell themselves. This year?s analysis is the most comprehensive yet, using 51 metrics developed with the help of the National Association of Manufacturers and the Council on Competitiveness, as well as input from the states themselves.

This year?s categories and possible point totals are:

  • Cost of doing business (350)
  • Work force (350)
  • Quality of life (350)
  • Infrastructure and transportation (325)
  • Economy (325)
  • Education (225)
  • Technology and innovation (225)
  • Business friendliness (200)
  • Access to capital (100)
  • Cost of living (50)

This year?s study comes amid slowly improving fortunes for the states. A recovering economy?coupled with lingering fiscal restraint following the Great Recession are helping states improve their finances for the first time in years.

?Revenue performance remains positive, expenditures in most states are stable and few states have faced midyear budget shortfalls in fiscal year 2012,? the National Conference of State Legislators reported in May. That means states can resume their focus on the battle for business ? and jobs.

CNBC.com: The most expensive states to live In 2012

In addition to holding the top spot overall, Texas has the nation?s best infrastructure, according to our study. It improved to second place for technology and innovation, and boasts the third lowest cost of living. The state's work force improved to seventh best from 14th last year. Access to capital declined a bit, but Texas still finished in the top 10 (eighth). Perhaps most impressive is the fact that the Texas economy recovered from a rare stumble last year, when it finished 14th in the category. It improved to fifth this year.

Texas endured a wrenching budget crisis last year. While the state is still not out of the fiscal woods, it managed to emerge with its sterling, triple-A bond rating and stable outlook intact.

The state had to make some sacrifices though, and that hurt in some categories. Texas comes in 26th in education and 35th in quality of life. And while the state held the line on income taxes, the overall tax burden ? including property and sales taxes ? is high. That hurts Texas in the all-important cost of doing business category, where it comes in 28th.

Since we began ranking the states in 2007, Texas and Virginia have traded places each year in first and second place. But the pattern was broken in 2012.

CNBC.com: Homes of governors 2012

This year?s runner-up is not Virginia but Utah, which surged from last year?s eighth-place finish. The Beehive State boasts low costs (11th lowest for cost of doing business, sixth for cost of living), a world class work force (ninth place) and moves into the top 10 for quality of Life. The state has seen an impressive influx of venture capital of late, jumping 10 places to 13th for access to capital, and its infrastructure improved to eighth place this year.

?So what happened to Virginia ? last year?s top state?

Virginia is still a contender, finishing a solid third overall. But it faltered in two categories in particular: infrastructure and economy.

Infrastructure ? specifically the state?s perpetually clogged highways ? has long been an issue in fast-growing Virginia, and there is fresh evidence this year that the state is having trouble keeping pace. With some of the country's toughest commutes, the state dipped to No. 33 in the category, down from 10th a year ago.

Virginia?s economy remains in the top tier. But it has suffered in part due to circumstances beyond its control. The state?s proximity to Washington, D.C., has helped in previous years. However, late last year Moody?s slapped a negative outlook on Virginia?s otherwise pristine bond rating because of the federal government?s fiscal crisis. That contributed to Virginia slipping to 10th from eighth in our economy category this year.

While still the envy of most states, Virginia declined in a total of six categories in 2012. The other four are cost of doing business (down to 32nd from 21st), education (down to 13th from sixth), technology and innovation (down to 14th from 11th) and business friendliness (down to fourth from third). In this competition, you can?t post that many declines and stay on top ? or, it turns out, finish second either.

CNBC.com: States with the highest quality of living

Rounding out the top five winners are one perennial favorite and one newcomer.

Fourth-ranked North Carolina is often a contender, thanks in large part to its well-educated work force. This year, more of those workers are available. It?s a silver lining to a jobs crisis that has disproportionately affected the Tarheel State, where unemployment is considerably higher than the national average.

Cracking ? or should we say fracking ? our top five ranking for the first time is North Dakota, where an oil and gas boom fueled by the state's Bakken Shale formation shows few signs of easing. Improving to fifth overall from 13th place last year, North Dakota boasts the fastest growing economy in the country. Unemployment is practically nonexistent. But there are indications North Dakota?s success is more than just a flash in the oil pan.

The state moves up in quality of life (five) as well as business friendliness (four), which measures the states? legal and regulatory climates.

But all is not Zen in the Peace Garden State. North Dakota still lags when it comes to technology and innovation (47) and access to capital (43).

CNBC.com: America?s top states for business 2012

Dropping out of the top five this year are Georgia, which was fourth and is now ninth, and Colorado, which was fifth and is now eighth. Georgia lost ground in the education category, while in Colorado the cost of doing business rose.

This year?s most improved state is Idaho, which climbed a whopping 18 spots to finish 13th overall. Like most of the country, Idaho?s economy has returned to more solid footing. But the state?s business costs improved as well, thanks to low wages and utility costs.

The biggest decline came in Massachusetts. A top-five finisher in 2010 and in sixth place last year, the Bay State tumbles all the way to 28th place this year. Still a top state for education (three) and a magnet for capital (tied with California for No. 1 in access to capital), the Massachusetts economy nonetheless faltered, dropping to 21st from 15th.

Also in the Massachusetts, the cost of doing Business rose (to 41st from 49th), and Infrastructure crumbled (to 45th from 29th). Even in technology and innovation (down to seventh from third), the state that practically invented the high-tech corridor lost ground.

This year?s bottom state for in the business category, for a second straight year, is Rhode Island. The state finishes at or near the bottom for Infrastructure (50), Economy (49) and Business Friendliness (49). It's an expensive state in which to do business (45) and to live (44). The state also plunged in work force (down to 46 from 26) rankings.

But perhaps owing to the adage ?buy low, sell high,? Rhode Island is seeing a small surge in investment, moving up in access to capital (up to 10th from 35th).

How does your state stack up? Check out our complete rankings. And just as you do every year, be sure to tell us what you think.

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Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/10/12643767-texas-tops-cnbcs-list-of-best-states-for-business?lite

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