Monday, June 11, 2012

Training Certification Courses ? |

Pictures of Training Certification Courses

NewsMessageSolution Showcases Cloud And On-Premise Enterprise Archiving And EDiscovery Platforms At TechEd 2012
MessageSolution, the global technology leader in enterprise information archiving and eDiscovery for Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint and Office 365 Cloud, will be exhibiting its award-winning On-Premise, Cloud, & MSP Hosted Platforms at Microsoft?s TechEd in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FL and and Milpitas, CA (PRWEB) June 11, 2012 MessageSolution, Inc., the global technology leader in enterprise ? Read News

YouTubeACIT ? CCIE Training, CISCO Certification Mumbai, India, CCNA ?
Http://www.acit.in/ . Acit offer various certification courses like CCNA, CCNA SECURITY, CCNA VOICE, CCNP, CCIP, CCSP, CCVP, CCIE RS, CCIE SP, CCIE SEC, CHECKPOINT, MCITP, AND ? View Video

cheryl burke sarah burke mega upload santorum wins iowa archer ibooks 2 ifl

Ireland coach hints at comeback after Croatia loss


	Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni remains resolute despite a loss to Spain in their Euro opener on Sunday.

Bertand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni remains resolute despite a loss to Croatia in their Euro opener on Sunday.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has hinted he could make changes as he attempts to revive the side's Euro 2012 campaign.

Trapattoni faces the daunting task of having to take something from reigning World and European champions Spain in Gdansk on Thursday evening if his side are to prolong their interest in the tournament after a morale-sapping 3-1 defeat by Croatia in their Group C opener on Sunday.

Trapattoni, who started with his strongest available team in Poznan, could now opt to shuffle his pack and has urged his players not to be too disheartened if they miss out.

He said: "It's early now. I know you want to know what happens, but we have to think about how the players are with fitness.

"Spain is another game and then we have to think very, very much.

"If I decide to change, it will not be because a player played badly or does not deserve to play. We have another game. Our opponent only drew and has only one point.

"It's important we recover psychologically and believe again because we have to remember how many games we had played without conceding a goal."

The Republic of Ireland were undone by impressive Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic within three minutes, and although defender Sean St Ledger dragged them back into the game with a 19th-minute equaliser, they fell behind once again two minutes before the break.

Everton striker Nikica Jelavic made the most of Stephen Ward's miskick and a tight offside decision to make it 2-1 and, when Mandzukic's 48th-minute header came back off the woodwork and went in off keeper Shay Given, the die was cast.

Trapattoni said: "In the first half, they deserved to win because they were superior in midfield. We played better in the second half."

Croatia boss Slaven Bilic was delighted, but not surprised, by his side's powerful display, which sends them into their clash with Italy brimming with confidence.

Bilic said: "I was expecting this kind of result. We were preparing for this victory. We knew everything about this Irish team.

"We knew we were the better team, but you never know before the match. I can just congratulate players from both teams. The match was very good.

"I'm completely satisfied with the way we played. We were really strong in midfield.

"I respect the Irish team. The Irish team didn't lose for the last 14 matches, they were in a group with Russia, they drew 0-0 in Moscow - this means they are a strong team.

"We played very well and we beat a strong team. From the first minute of the match, I was really sure, really confident.

"We were the better team on the pitch and it would have been really hard not to win this match.

"We were dreaming about this position. Probably, one victory will be enough to go to the quarter-finals."

?

The Daily Telegraph

jennifer garner romney michigan derrick williams railgun jk rowling new book between two ferns ihop

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Report: NYPD fires Orthodox Jew over beard length

By msnbc.com staff and news services

An Orthodox Jew who was weeks away from becoming a New York City police officer said he has been kicked out of the police academy for refusing to trim his beard.

Former recruit Fishel Litzman of Monsey was fired Friday after multiple confrontations with the department over the length of his whiskers, he told the Daily News.


Litzman is Hasidic and believes that cutting his beard is forbidden by God.

NYPD rules usually require officers to be clean-shaven. The department makes exceptions for beards kept for religious purposes, but even then only allows 1 millimeter worth of growth.

"They didn't give me anything," Litzman said, explaining to the paper that the police department did not offer an explicit reason for his firing. "I don't understand what the problem would be."

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the department's rules are reasonable and Litzman was aware of them when he signed up.

Litzman was first cited in January for his unkempt beard. He was a month away from receiving his shield when he was fired.

"I always wanted to be a police officer," said Litzman, a 38-year-old father of five who speaks Hebrew and Yiddish and was once a paramedic.

His attorney, Nathan Lewin, said the police department knew when Litzman applied that he would not trim his beard.

The Daily News reported that the NYPD hired its first Hasidic police officer in 2006. Today there are at least two dozen Orthodox-Jewish police officers working for the NYPD, the Daily News said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

next iron chef aquamarine iraq war iraq war san diego chargers san diego chargers j.r. martinez

Mariners 6-pack combines for no-hitter vs. Dodgers

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

wake forest wake forest old dominion insync the duchess the duchess spice

Calif. megachurch Crystal Cathedral gets new name

(AP) ? Southern California's landmark Crystal Cathedral has been given a new name as the evangelical church transforms into a Catholic church.

The iconic, glass-paned megachurch founded by "Hour of Power" televangelist Robert Schuller was sold to the The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange last year. On Saturday, Bishop Tod Brown renamed it Christ Cathedral during a priest ordination and named Christopher H. Smith to the top post of the new church.

The Garden Grove cathedral's name came after more than 4,100 submissions from Catholics all over the world.

Schuller retired in 2006 after seeing his ministry that began at a drive-in movie theater evolve into a global televangelist empire. But after a botched leadership transition to his son, donations began to plummet and in 2010, the Crystal Cathedral sought bankruptcy protection.

The diocese bought the 2,900-seat cathedral and its grounds for $57.7 million. It will have to renovate the cathedral for Catholic worship before services can begin.

Meanwhile, the Crystal Cathedral congregation, which will be moving about a mile away to St. Callistus Catholic Church in June 2013, will have to renovate that church for the "Hour of Power" to be filmed there.

Smith told the Los Angeles Times that at a recent meeting with Schuller, the preacher said he always had Jesus Christ in mind when conceptualizing the cathedral.

"And now, as it turns out, the cathedral is going to be named Christ Cathedral," he said.

Associated Press

pepper spraying cop somaya reece juelz santana juelz santana greg halman greg halman dancing with the stars results

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Sun Prairie girls' softball heads for state | Prep Sports - WISC-TV

WIAA Girls Softball logo
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. -

Sun Prairie's girls' softball team is heading to state following a 4-3 victory over La Crosse Central in a sectional final Thursday in Sun Prairie.

Kristin Hoppman hit a game winning triple in the bottom of the seventh to bring in Briana Peterson from first to give the Cardinals the victory.

"I was looking for something and I was-- all game I was struggling on hitting her changeups and drop balls.," said Hoppmann. "I was really anxious for it and yeah, I guess it couldn't have happened better."

Both teams traded leads all game. Central had a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Sun Prairie tied it when Briana peterson hit a shot to left and it rolled all the way to the wall. Katelyn Huemmer scored and it's 2-2.

That was the score going into the bottom of the sixth. Hanna Running got another solid hit. Nicole Hoffman scored and Sun Prairie has the lead at 3-2. But La Crosse Central rallied to tie the game in the top of the 7th at 3- 3.

But that's when Hoppmann came up big. Sun Prairie will go to the state tournament for just the second time in school history.

  • Copyright 2012 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

hope solo texas high school football fugazi fugazi indiana jones and the last crusade nba lockout dramamine

The Frager Factor: VoiceWorks.com: The Saga Continues

Someone posted a link on TheDomains.com post about the VoiceWorks.com sale. It landed on a 2007 article that offered advice for branding a VOIP company that fits perfectly with the profile of the buyer of VoiceWorks.com.


There is some good advice there that lends insight into the thought process of software marketing executives.?


They came up with some great names, and were dangerously close to identifying the million dollar winner.?


That would have been VoiceWorks.com that fits their criteria like a glove but unlike their suggestions is a clear plain english word that resonates in the hearts and minds of consumers.?


It's not an invented name that won't pass the spellcheck or SIRI, but provides instant branding and credibly for a previously unknown entity ready to expand their opportunity.


The name is on par with DreamWorks, doing for VOIP what DreamWorks stands for in Hollywood.


Another name they missed was TellMe, a major player in the space.


Here via creative commons license is a reprint of the 2007 QandAs.com article titled "How do I find a Name for my Tech Company?"


Answer:


Naming a Company is tough and often a poorly?executed practice. ?You need a company name that correlates well with your industry and is memorable. ?For example, I doubt you'll find many Accountant or Attorney firms called "Accountster" and "Attornista". ?Similarly, a tech or web 2.0 property probably won't be called "J.R. Livingston Corp." or "Neat Internet Web Site".


The ability to name your business in a way that is easily remembered and brandable is very important. ?The industry your in should determine the naming characteristics you use when brainstorming for a Company name. ?Technology, Software and Web 2.0 Companies are cutting edge and are usually represented by a name that is unique and savvy. ?Specifically, a Tech Companies domain name must be easy to recall and brandable if they plan on doing business online. ?Some Company names sound and look great on paper but once you add a dot com to the end of it you have a less than memorable website URL. ?Being 2007, it's extremely difficult to find a domain name that is available or that matches your Company name so it's important to get creative and I'm here to help!


I've done probably 100,000 or more whois searches and brainstormed at least a dozen or more names for different Companies and I've come up with a fairly creative methodology to naming your Tech Company.


To show my methods, we'll use the Voice Over IP industry. ?


The first step is to identify some descriptor words that we want to be the anchor in the Company Name. ?This will be the descriptive portion of the name that tells people that we're a Voice Over IP Company. ?So to find the descriptor words I browse some synonyms at Thesaurus.com . ?First we type in "Voice" to see what our available synonyms are. ?Some words that stick out are Call, Tell, Roar, Tone, Vocal, Say, Vox, Air, Speak, and Shout. ?Next, lets look at some synonyms for the word Telephone. ?Some words that stick out are Buzz, Contact, Jingle, Phone, Tele, Cast, Communicate, Wire and Chat. ?You can search and collect dozens of synonyms but to keep this short we'll limit our sample. ?I think we have a pretty good sample so lets take a look at our descriptive words.


Voice
Call
Tell
Roar
Tone
Vocal
Say
Vox
Air
Speak
Shout
Buzz
Contact
Jingle
Phone
Tele
Cast
Communicate
Wire
Chat


The next step is to attach the list of brandable words that are endings or beginnings of the Company name depending on the word. ?I compiled this list after performing dozens of searches. ?I found myself using the same branding words over and over again so I decided to save them. ?These are just portions of a name that can be used to make the Company name more Techy.


ster
topia
mundo
ola
log
via
tronix
tronic
formix
oodle
sy
umba
ville
olia
zilla
doo
ango
ingo
map
ora
doo
mu
bop
oingo
ari
aro
tale
zy
ista
vista
zone
scape
wire
way
sky
blox
vox
blo
intelli
digi
qual
virtu
tech
com
co
ture
werx
point
neo
fire
lite
ware
plex
view
IQ
Logix
Logic
labs
inter
soft
hyper


Now take the descriptor Company names and either add them to the beginning, ending or concatenate them with the brandable words. ?For example, using the word Voice we can come up with the following:


Voicester
Voicetopia
Voicemundo
Voiceola
Voicelog
Voicevia
Voicetronix
Voicetronic
Voiceformix
Voiceoodle
Voicesy
Voiceumba
Voiceville
Voiceolia
Voicezilla
Voicedoo
Voiceango
Voiceingo
Voicemap
Voiceora
Voicedoo
Voicemu
Voicebop
Voiceoingo
Voiceari
Voicearo
Voicetale
Voicezy
Voiceista
Voicevista
Voicezone
Voicescape
Voicewire
Voiceway
Voiceblox
Voicevox
Voiceblo
Voicetech
Voicecom
Voiceco
Voiceture
Voicewerx
Voicepoint
Voicefire
Voicelite
Voiceware
Voiceplex
Voiceview
VoiceLogix
VoiceLogic
Voicelabs
neoVoice
IQVoice
interVoice
Voicesoft
hyperVoice
skyVoice
intelliVoice
digiVoice
qualVoice
virtuVoice


As you can see, we added the word Voice to the beginning of all of the brandable words except for the words, Neo, IQ, Inter, Voice, Hyper, Sky, Intelli, Digi, Qual and Virtu. ?We now have a list of over 50 potential Company names and we haven't even tried the other Company descriptor names. ?Obviously some aren't going to work. ?For example, the word voice ends in a vowel so brandable words starting with a vowel don't work very well. ?I really like the Company descriptor word Tell, let's see what we get when we replace Voice with Tell.


Tellster
Telltopia
Tellmundo
Tellola
Telllog
Tellvia
Telltronix
Telltronic
Tellformix
Telloodle
Tellsy
Tellumba
Tellville
Tellolia
Tellzilla
Telldoo
Tellango
Tellingo
Tellmap
Tellora
Telldoo
Tellmu
Tellbop
Telloingo
Tellari
Tellaro
Telltale
Tellzy
Tellista
Tellvista
Tellzone
Tellscape
Tellwire
Tellway
Tellblox
Tellvox
Tellblo
Telltech
Tellcom
Tellco
Tellture
Tellwerx
Tellpoint
Tellfire
Telllite
Tellware
Tellplex
Tellview
TellLogix
TellLogic
Telllabs
neoTell
IQTell
interTell
Tellsoft
hyperTell
skyTell
intelliTell
digiTell
qualTell
virtuTell


I like this sample, lets head on over to your favorite bulk whois. ?I use DomainTools because their the best. ?Bam, I see that as of August 22nd, 2007 TellWay.com, HyperTell.com, QualTell.com and VirtuTell.com are available. ?I like all of these and they could all be a good name for a Voice Over IP company.


If you don't like the brandable words try concatenating two words or rhyming your descriptor words at Rhymer.


A couple other creative branding options you have are to replace the letter "C" with the letter "Q". ?For example, myQall would be pronounced the same as myCall. ?You can replace the letters "er" with the letter "r". ?Flickr started this trend and so far it's proven to be an effective branding option.


Let me know if your able to name your Company with the information I've published above. ?Likely you'll save time and money as branding companies can be very costly.


If you have any more brandable words please let me know so we can add them to the list.

Share/Bookmark

VoiceWorks.com: The Saga Continues

creighton new smyrna beach st. joseph walking dead puerto rico primary manning peyton

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Wisconsin outcome signals opportunity for Romney

MILWAUKEE (AP) ? Republican Gov. Scott Walker's recall victory in Wisconsin sets the stage for what's now expected to be a hard-fought presidential battle for this Midwestern state.

Walker's solid victory served as a warning for President Barack Obama about the potential hurdles he faces as he fights to hang onto a traditionally Democratic battleground he won comfortably in 2008. And, at least for now, it gave presumptive Republican challenger Mitt Romney a reason to feel optimistic about his chances of winning a state that has voted for the Democratic nominee in the past six elections.

The election tested voter attitudes toward Walker's aggressive governing style as well as a law that ended collective bargaining for most public employees and teachers.

"Gov. Romney has an opportunity ... to come in between now and Nov. 6 and make the case that he's willing to make those same sort of tough decisions," Walker told Fox News Channel on the eve of his victory.

In the coming days, national Republicans and Democrats alike will re-evaluate the Wisconsin political landscape. In setting their presidential campaign strategies, they will take into consideration the state's 6.7 percent unemployment rate ? lower than the national average ? the heavy chunk of independent-minded voters and the partisan atmosphere that led to the effort to recall Walker.

After an electoral setback, the White House all but dismissed the national significance of Walker's win, except for the part of the election analysis it liked. Exit polling showed voters favored Obama over Romney in handling the economy and helping the middle class.

Obama spokesman Jay Carney chalked up much of Walker's win to a huge fundraising-and-spending advantage fueled by "corporate money and huge donations." He added: "The president stood by Tom Barrett, but I certainly wouldn't read much into yesterday's results beyond its effect on who's occupying the governor's seat in Wisconsin."

Obama and Romney had been waiting until after the recall election to determine how hard to compete here. Even so, their teams had been hinting in the days leading up to the recall about how Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes fit into their state-by-state game plans for reaching the 270 electoral votes needed for victory.

Obama's team, which has been on the ground organizing but hasn't spent money on advertising here for months, signaled this week that it believed the state had grown more competitive. In May, campaign manager Jim Messina had said Wisconsin was trending toward the president. By Monday, he was listing it as "undecided."

There's no doubt now that Obama will defend his turf. Not that he has much of a choice.

Romney now plans to compete in the state aggressively, looking to capitalize on the Republican momentum that carried Walker to victory. His team considers Wisconsin a top target, along with Florida, Ohio and Virginia, and more attractive than even Romney's native Michigan, where the campaign had hoped to establish an Upper Midwest beachhead.

"The close vote on Tuesday confirms that Wisconsin will be a swing state," said Republican strategist Terry Nelson, an adviser to George W. Bush.

An exit poll of voters Tuesday that was conducted for The Associated Press sketched the state of the race in Wisconsin five months before the election, though November's electorate might be substantially different.

Walker supporter Susan Piekenbrock said his victory would likely mean she'd support Romney but not guarantee it.

"Do I like everything Romney says? No," said Piekenbrock, a longtime Democrat-turned-independent from West Allis, a western suburb of Milwaukee. "I'll support Romney if the reform theme is the same as Walker's."

Danielle Scriver's support for Walker is synonymous with Romney. "When you consider Obama is the alternative, it's automatic," the Republican from Racine said.

Obama had a 51-44 percent edge over Romney in exit polling, and more Wisconsin voters said that the president would do a better job improving the economy and helping middle-class voters than his GOP rival would. A sizable 1 in 5, however, said they trust neither party's candidate on the economy, the main issue in the presidential campaign.

"These data points clearly demonstrate a very steep pathway for Mitt Romney to recover in the state," Obama's Wisconsin campaign director, Tripp Wellde, said in a statement.

But there are warning signs for Obama, too.

Independent voters, who made up a third of the recall electorate and typically decide close elections, broke for Walker 53-45. And the power was on display of both the GOP's robust national get-out-the-vote effort and of deep-pocketed Republican super political action committees, which poured $18 million into the state to help Walker. Unions, a key Democratic constituency, failed to get enough of their rank-and-file members to rally behind Barrett to give him a win, an ominous sign for a Democratic presidential candidate counting on those ground troops.

Four years ago, Obama won the state by 14 percentage points. Democrats John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000 carried the state by less than a single percentage point. Observers say Tuesday's results may foreshadow a similar scenario in November.

Neither Obama nor Romney had run TV ads in the state though that likely will change, with campaigns and super PACs alike gearing up to pour money into Wisconsin.

Expect both candidates to visit more frequently, too. Obama and Romney had steered clear of the state in the heat of the recall campaign.

Careful not to weigh too deeply into what ended up being a losing race, Obama didn't campaign for Barrett, Milwaukee's mayor. Instead, the president posted his endorsement of Barrett on Twitter and emailed a Web video to Wisconsin supporters encouraging them to back Barrett. Obama also dispatched top surrogates including former President Bill Clinton and Democratic National Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to the state.

Romney, for his part, has not visited Wisconsin, advertised here or had staff on the ground since winning the Republican presidential primary in April. Campaign officials said the former Massachusetts governor plans to convert the 26 offices that helped Walker into get-out-the-vote centers for his candidacy.

Romney hailed Walker's triumph as an endorsement of conservative fiscal policy, not a plug for the status quo, with national implications.

The results, he said in a statement, "will echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin."

While Obama has included Wisconsin in most of his scenarios for winning the White House, he conceivably could win a second term without it. But having to compete aggressively for Wisconsin means Obama will have fewer resources to spend in high-priority targets like Ohio and Florida.

"As both campaigns look at the data in the coming days and weeks, I think it's going to show that Wisconsin is a state that's a toss-up in the presidential campaign," said Romney's political director, Rich Beeson.

Democratic pollster Paul Maslin is betting that Walker's win will motivate Obama supporters from 2008.

"People aren't going to abandon their judgment," said Maslin, who is based in Madison and polled for Barrett's primary opponent Kathleen Falk. "That's why I think, at the end of the day, if it's really close, Obama wins."

___

Associated Press writers Steve Peoples in New Hampshire, Scott Bauer in Milwaukee and Ben Feller in Washington contributed to this report.

jim jones tony stewart kurt busch kurt busch nba dunk contest 2012 act of valor woody guthrie

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Dow leaps, is on track for a second day of gains

FILE- In this Monday, June 4, 2012, file photo, Trader Daniel Kryger right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street appears set for gains Wednesday June 6, 2012, with Dow Jones industrial futures rising 0.8 percent to 12,222 and S&P 500 futures adding 1 percent to 1,298. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

FILE- In this Monday, June 4, 2012, file photo, Trader Daniel Kryger right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street appears set for gains Wednesday June 6, 2012, with Dow Jones industrial futures rising 0.8 percent to 12,222 and S&P 500 futures adding 1 percent to 1,298. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A 200-point charge turned the Dow Jones industrial average positive for the year following a dismal stretch in May.

The Dow is up 208 points at 12,337 shortly before noon.

All 30 Dow stocks were higher, led by Bank of America, up 7 percent. The last time the Dow closed up more than 200 points was March 13.

The big jump follows weeks of losses, including a 275-point plunge last Friday caused by a surprisingly weak report on the U.S. job market

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 22 points to 1,308. The Nasdaq composite rose 56 points to 2,834.

The gains were broad. Just 14 of the S&P 500 companies were lower, and more than eight stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange.

Associated Press

costco kmart urban meyer ohio state traffic report traffic report opensky dia frampton

Air pollution linked to chronic heart disease

Air pollution linked to chronic heart disease [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 5-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University

High pollution increases risk of repeated heart attacks by over 40 percent, says Tel Aviv University researcher

Air pollution, a serious danger to the environment, is also a major health risk, associated with respiratory infections, lung cancer and heart disease. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has concluded that not only does air pollution impact cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke, but it also causes repeated episodes over the long term.

Cardiac patients living in high pollution areas were found to be over 40 percent more likely to have a second heart attack when compared to patients living in low pollution areas, according to Dr. Yariv Gerber of TAU's School of Public Health at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine. "We know that like smoking cigarettes, pollution itself provokes the inflammatory system. If you are talking about long-term exposure and an inflammatory system that is irritated chronically, pollution may well be involved in the progression of atrial sclerosis that manifests in cardiac events," explains Dr. Gerber.

Done in collaboration with Prof. Yaacov Drory and funded by the Environmental and Health Fund in Jerusalem, the research was presented at the San Diego Epidemiological Meeting of the American Heart Association in March and the Annual Meeting of the Israeli Heart Society in April.

Risking recurrence

Air pollution has previously been acknowledged as a factor in heart attack risk, as well as other health risks. The goal of this study, says Dr. Gerber, was to quantify that association and determine the long-term effects of air pollution on myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Their study followed 1,120 first-time MI patients who had been admitted to one of eight hospitals in central Israel between 1992 and 1993, all of whom were under the age of 65 at the time of admittance. The patients were followed up until 2011, a period of 19 years.

Air quality was measured at 21 monitoring stations inareas where the patients lived, and analyzed by a group of researchers at the Technion in Haifa. After adjusting for other factors such as socio-economic status and disease severity, the researchers identified an association between pollution and negative clinical outcomes, including mortality and recurrent vascular events such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

Compared to patients who lived in areas with the lowest recorded levels of pollution, those in the most polluted environment were 43 percent more likely to have a second heart attack or suffer congestive heart failure and 46 percent more likely to suffer a stroke. The study also found that patients exposed to air pollution were 35 percent more likely to die in the almost 20 year period following their first heart attack than those who were exposed to lower levels of pollution.

According to Dr. Gerber, the true impact of air pollution might be even stronger than this study shows. "Our method of assessing exposure does have limitations. Because we are using data from monitoring stations, it's a crude estimate of exposure, which most likely leads to an underestimation of the association," he warns. He estimates that air pollution could have double the negative impact with more precise measurement.

Identifying vulnerable groups

The results of the study not only indicate a health benefit for a public policy that curtails air pollution caused by industrial emissions and second hand smoke, but also call for heightened awareness by clinicians. Doctors should be making their patients aware of the risks of remaining in high pollution areas, suggesting that they work to limit their exposure, Dr. Gerber suggests.

Another purpose of this study was to begin identifying populations that are vulnerable to MI and re-occurring MI. Establishing the connection between air pollution and long-term risk for patients with cardiovascular diseases was an important step towards that goal.

###

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (www.aftau.org) supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.

Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.



[ 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.


Air pollution linked to chronic heart disease [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 5-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University

High pollution increases risk of repeated heart attacks by over 40 percent, says Tel Aviv University researcher

Air pollution, a serious danger to the environment, is also a major health risk, associated with respiratory infections, lung cancer and heart disease. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has concluded that not only does air pollution impact cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke, but it also causes repeated episodes over the long term.

Cardiac patients living in high pollution areas were found to be over 40 percent more likely to have a second heart attack when compared to patients living in low pollution areas, according to Dr. Yariv Gerber of TAU's School of Public Health at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine. "We know that like smoking cigarettes, pollution itself provokes the inflammatory system. If you are talking about long-term exposure and an inflammatory system that is irritated chronically, pollution may well be involved in the progression of atrial sclerosis that manifests in cardiac events," explains Dr. Gerber.

Done in collaboration with Prof. Yaacov Drory and funded by the Environmental and Health Fund in Jerusalem, the research was presented at the San Diego Epidemiological Meeting of the American Heart Association in March and the Annual Meeting of the Israeli Heart Society in April.

Risking recurrence

Air pollution has previously been acknowledged as a factor in heart attack risk, as well as other health risks. The goal of this study, says Dr. Gerber, was to quantify that association and determine the long-term effects of air pollution on myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Their study followed 1,120 first-time MI patients who had been admitted to one of eight hospitals in central Israel between 1992 and 1993, all of whom were under the age of 65 at the time of admittance. The patients were followed up until 2011, a period of 19 years.

Air quality was measured at 21 monitoring stations inareas where the patients lived, and analyzed by a group of researchers at the Technion in Haifa. After adjusting for other factors such as socio-economic status and disease severity, the researchers identified an association between pollution and negative clinical outcomes, including mortality and recurrent vascular events such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

Compared to patients who lived in areas with the lowest recorded levels of pollution, those in the most polluted environment were 43 percent more likely to have a second heart attack or suffer congestive heart failure and 46 percent more likely to suffer a stroke. The study also found that patients exposed to air pollution were 35 percent more likely to die in the almost 20 year period following their first heart attack than those who were exposed to lower levels of pollution.

According to Dr. Gerber, the true impact of air pollution might be even stronger than this study shows. "Our method of assessing exposure does have limitations. Because we are using data from monitoring stations, it's a crude estimate of exposure, which most likely leads to an underestimation of the association," he warns. He estimates that air pollution could have double the negative impact with more precise measurement.

Identifying vulnerable groups

The results of the study not only indicate a health benefit for a public policy that curtails air pollution caused by industrial emissions and second hand smoke, but also call for heightened awareness by clinicians. Doctors should be making their patients aware of the risks of remaining in high pollution areas, suggesting that they work to limit their exposure, Dr. Gerber suggests.

Another purpose of this study was to begin identifying populations that are vulnerable to MI and re-occurring MI. Establishing the connection between air pollution and long-term risk for patients with cardiovascular diseases was an important step towards that goal.

###

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (www.aftau.org) supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.

Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.



[ 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.


mt rainier national park rose parade mount rainier national park drop dead gorgeous ticket city bowl 2011 nfl playoff schedule cowboys vs giants

Useful Tips For Your Home Improvement Project | The Only Energy ...

You can make a room in your home feel fresh and new by updating the floor covering. You can choose to get it professionally installed or do it yourself. Be sure to seek advice before deciding which method is preferable.

A lot of people may want to install a wood fireplace in the home, but this might not be your best option for a slew of different reasons. While aesthetically pleasing, they are not overly efficient. In addition, a fire needs a fresh supply of air to survive and it takes it from inside your home. Your fireplace will use up a good portion of your home?s oxygen.

If you have cords on your blinds, cut of the extra. These cords can be a hazard to children and pets if they become tangled in them. Ensure that you have a sufficient length to operate the blinds, but eliminate any unneeded length from the cords. Snip it off or tie it up before it causes an accident.

When planning your home improvements, it is important to pinpoint which room you want to start on. It is much easier to begin in one room and complete it before beginning the next project. Before beginning any home improvement project, write out a detailed plan so you can keep a watch out for sales on the items you need. Smart planning can be a great way to realize savings while also making your home better.

Lately, there are certain dangers to be concerned with before starting a home improvement project. Avoid buying drywall (i.e. wall board, sheet rock) manufactured in China. Since 2005, a lot of the drywall that is used in the United States building industry come from China. A lot of it is exposed to unacceptable quality control. In extreme cases, Chinese drywall gives off harmful gases that can corrode wires in the walls.

Install a peephole in your door. This will let you see who is at your door before you open it. Anyone can afford and install a peephole thanks to their low cost and ease of installation. If you have a drill, the peep hole, and five minutes to spare, you have a home improvement. A peephole will give you some peace of mind whenever you hear something outside.

It?s a good idea to have a professional take a look at your existing floors before you commit yourself to the expensive proposition of installing all-new hardwood. In many cases, there is hardwood flooring hidden under existing carpeting or linoleum. Existing hardwood flooring looks beautiful with a new finish. The result will be a high quality, nicer looking floor with less expense.

Safety is the most important thing to consider on a home improvement job. Always turn off your gas line if you are working in any area that is near one. Doing any home improvement around gas can be dangerous. Knowing where to shut the gas off is of utmost importance! When your project is extensive enough to involve opening up walls, you should also know where your gas lines are placed and steer well clear of them.

Think about appliance upgrades as home improvements, to enable saving money on all utility bills. When your appliances are old and inefficient, new appliances will quickly pay for themselves with their newer, energy efficient technologies. It is also easy to install appliances, so this is a choice that is both effective and quick.

Some home improvement projects may seem be overwhelming, no matter how skilled you may be. The tips and information in this piece are great for helping you generate ideas and also for getting your house in top shape without tremendous aggravation.

Richie Vee, the site?s editor, is the Chief Engineer of one of the largest Platinum LEED buildings in NYC. His extensive engineering experience helps guide consumers through home improvement projects for the average homeowner. Using home solar energy and roofing repair ideas to save them money.

sean payton saints bounty program toulouse france the situation cate blanchett drew brees drew brees

$388000 :: 352 4th ST, Lake Oswego OR, 97034 ? Lake Oswego ...

Property Photo

Mls Icon

2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
Home size: 1,731 sq ft
Lot Size: 2,178 sq ft
Property Type: ATTACHD
MLS Number: 12522808
Community: First Addition

This is the ideal location for living in middle of it all ? shopping, dining, farmer?s markets & other amenities all at your door step. Great open layout w/ huge ceilings, fireplace, den, natural light and good bedroom separation. Well cared for, one owner townhome w/ a fenced courtyard & second story deck. Walk Score: 98!

Listed with Windermere/C&C Lydtr


Brought to you by Chris Larsson, Coldwell Banker Seal. Call me today at 503-683-2897!

The content relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the IDX program of the RMLS? of Portland, Oregon. All real estate listings are marked with the RMLS? logo, and detailed information about these properties includes the names of the listing brokers. Listing content is ? 2009 RMLS?, Portland, Oregon.


Lake Oswego Map Seach
Tags: Lake Oswego OR, Coldwell Banker Seal, 352 4th ST, Agent, 97034, Chris Larsson

lake oswego real estate agent

Chris Larsson- Lake Oswego Real Estate Agent

Let me help you find everything you need to know about buying or selling real estate in Lake Oswego, OR! I have been a top-producing Coldwell Banker real estate professional for over 8 years in LO. I am 120% dedicated to providing world-class concierge level service to my clientele.


SEARCH THE LAKE OSWEGO MLS AND REAL ESTATE LISTING HERE...

hot chelle rae guile alton brown weather los angeles caleb hanie bcs standings 2011 rhodes scholarship

Burden of full & subsyndromal PTSD in police who responded to the World Trade Center disaster

Burden of full & subsyndromal PTSD in police who responded to the World Trade Center disaster [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 5-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Sacha Boucherie
s.boucherie@elsevier.com
31-204-853-564
Elsevier Health Sciences

Researchers reveal new findings in the Journal of Psychiatric Research

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 5, 2012 Studies have found that police demonstrated considerable resilience to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to other disaster workers after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (WTC). This has been attributed to effective screening and extensive training in the police force. New research suggests that, despite this greater resilience to PTSD, 15.4% of police endorse symptoms of subsyndromal PTSD that do not reach the level for a formal diagnosis of PTSD, but which are nonetheless associated with elevated rates of other psychiatric disorders and functional difficulties. The study is published online in advance of publication in the July issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

"The prevalence of full PTSD observed in this study (5.4%) was comparable to previous studies of police responders to the WTC disaster. However, the rate of subsyndromal PTSD was nearly 3 times greater (15.4%), suggesting that one in five police exposed to WTC rescue and recovery work may have clinically significant WTC-related PTSD symptoms," says lead investigator Robert H. Pietrzak, PhD, MPH, of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine. "Further, subsyndromal PTSD, which is not commonly assessed as part of screening efforts, was associated with elevated rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders, functional difficulties, somatic symptoms, and perceived need for mental health care."

Researchers assessed 8,466 police who worked or volunteered as part of rescue, recovery, restoration, or cleanup in Manhattan south of Canal Street, at the barge-loading piers in Manhattan, or the Staten Island landfill between September 11 and December 31, 2001. Participants completed an initial evaluation as part of the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. An interview assessed level of WTC exposure, such as early arrival, being caught in the dust cloud, or exposure to human remains. A range of self-report psychiatric assessments were completed, including measures of depression, panic disorder, and alcohol use; impairment in work, social or family life; and somatic symptoms, such as feeling run down or having headaches. Respondents identified important sources of social support while working at the WTC site, including spouse/partner, supervisor, and co-workers. They also indicated whether they thought they would need any mental health services in the next year. The level of posttraumatic stress was measured using the PTSD Checklist.

WTC-related work exposures that were most strongly associated with full and subsyndromal PTSD were losing someone on 9/11 and knowing someone who was injured in the disaster. A greater number of stressors prior to 9/11 was also associated with both full and subsyndromal PTSD. Union membership and greater family support played a protective role. Depression, panic disorder, alcohol use problems, and somatic symptoms and functional difficulties were highest among police with full PTSD, and occurred in intermediate levels among those with subsyndromal PTSD.

Police with subsyndromal PTSD were nearly five times as likely as controls to report that they might need at least one of the mental health services assessed, such as one-on-one counseling, stress management or psychotropic medication. "This finding underscores the importance of assessing for subsyndromal PTSD in disaster-exposed police responders, as these individuals may be overlooked despite some of these responders having an increased perception of need for mental healthcare," explains Dr. Pietrzak.

Dr. Pietrzak and colleagues note that subsyndromal PTSD is not a diagnostic classification and may not be routinely identified as part of screenings in police and other disaster response personnel. "Current screening and diagnostic criteria for disaster-related PTSD may be too restrictive in identifying the full complement of police who have clinically significant psychiatric and functional difficulties after responding to a mass disaster. These findings underscore the importance of screening, monitoring, and possibly treating disaster responders with subsyndromal PTSD," he concludes, adding that additional research is needed to confirm these findings using structured diagnostic interviews, to understand the longitudinal course of subsyndromal PTSD, and to evaluate the generalizability of these results to the broader population of police WTC responders.

###



[ 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.


Burden of full & subsyndromal PTSD in police who responded to the World Trade Center disaster [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 5-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Sacha Boucherie
s.boucherie@elsevier.com
31-204-853-564
Elsevier Health Sciences

Researchers reveal new findings in the Journal of Psychiatric Research

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 5, 2012 Studies have found that police demonstrated considerable resilience to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to other disaster workers after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (WTC). This has been attributed to effective screening and extensive training in the police force. New research suggests that, despite this greater resilience to PTSD, 15.4% of police endorse symptoms of subsyndromal PTSD that do not reach the level for a formal diagnosis of PTSD, but which are nonetheless associated with elevated rates of other psychiatric disorders and functional difficulties. The study is published online in advance of publication in the July issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

"The prevalence of full PTSD observed in this study (5.4%) was comparable to previous studies of police responders to the WTC disaster. However, the rate of subsyndromal PTSD was nearly 3 times greater (15.4%), suggesting that one in five police exposed to WTC rescue and recovery work may have clinically significant WTC-related PTSD symptoms," says lead investigator Robert H. Pietrzak, PhD, MPH, of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine. "Further, subsyndromal PTSD, which is not commonly assessed as part of screening efforts, was associated with elevated rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders, functional difficulties, somatic symptoms, and perceived need for mental health care."

Researchers assessed 8,466 police who worked or volunteered as part of rescue, recovery, restoration, or cleanup in Manhattan south of Canal Street, at the barge-loading piers in Manhattan, or the Staten Island landfill between September 11 and December 31, 2001. Participants completed an initial evaluation as part of the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. An interview assessed level of WTC exposure, such as early arrival, being caught in the dust cloud, or exposure to human remains. A range of self-report psychiatric assessments were completed, including measures of depression, panic disorder, and alcohol use; impairment in work, social or family life; and somatic symptoms, such as feeling run down or having headaches. Respondents identified important sources of social support while working at the WTC site, including spouse/partner, supervisor, and co-workers. They also indicated whether they thought they would need any mental health services in the next year. The level of posttraumatic stress was measured using the PTSD Checklist.

WTC-related work exposures that were most strongly associated with full and subsyndromal PTSD were losing someone on 9/11 and knowing someone who was injured in the disaster. A greater number of stressors prior to 9/11 was also associated with both full and subsyndromal PTSD. Union membership and greater family support played a protective role. Depression, panic disorder, alcohol use problems, and somatic symptoms and functional difficulties were highest among police with full PTSD, and occurred in intermediate levels among those with subsyndromal PTSD.

Police with subsyndromal PTSD were nearly five times as likely as controls to report that they might need at least one of the mental health services assessed, such as one-on-one counseling, stress management or psychotropic medication. "This finding underscores the importance of assessing for subsyndromal PTSD in disaster-exposed police responders, as these individuals may be overlooked despite some of these responders having an increased perception of need for mental healthcare," explains Dr. Pietrzak.

Dr. Pietrzak and colleagues note that subsyndromal PTSD is not a diagnostic classification and may not be routinely identified as part of screenings in police and other disaster response personnel. "Current screening and diagnostic criteria for disaster-related PTSD may be too restrictive in identifying the full complement of police who have clinically significant psychiatric and functional difficulties after responding to a mass disaster. These findings underscore the importance of screening, monitoring, and possibly treating disaster responders with subsyndromal PTSD," he concludes, adding that additional research is needed to confirm these findings using structured diagnostic interviews, to understand the longitudinal course of subsyndromal PTSD, and to evaluate the generalizability of these results to the broader population of police WTC responders.

###



[ 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.


ucla usc sean taylor usc football cybermonday coach outlet apostasy canon powershot elph 300 hs

DFC Intelligence ? DFC Intelligence Reports Video Game Software ...

Report Predicts PC-based Game Revenues to Lead Industry, Driven by Growth in Digital Distribution Among Core GamersLos Angeles, CA- June 06 2012:DFC Intelligence?today revealed new research predicting global revenue from video game software will grow from $52 billion in 2011 to $70 billion in 2017. This revenue growth will be split between three broad platforms: personal computers (PCs) leading with 39% of revenue, TV-based console systems with 36% of revenue, and mobile devices with 25%. DFC Intelligence also forecasts that by 2017, 66% of game software will be delivered digitally with packaged games accounting for only about one-third of revenue. The new findings were announced during the 2nd Annual Global Game Industry Forum in Los Angeles.?While the game industry is expanding on all fronts with new demographic groups playing games on a regular basis, the core consumer still remains male, age 12 to 30,? says David Cole, CEO of DFC Intelligence. ?In every segment, the key growth factor is improving access and monetization capabilities to that core demographic. Digital distribution, already widely accepted among core gamers globally, is clearly broadening access to products and driving much of the industry growth.?For the past five years, DFC Intelligence has been working with such companies as Xfire, Live Gamer, GamerDNA and others to better understand global consumer behavior. The game industry is spread over multiple platforms, in many diverse markets, so it has been hard to quantify exactly what consumers are doing. By working with globally focused companies with actual consumer usage and purchase behavior, DFC has been able to look at the global market on a detailed level, particularly with PC, free-to-play and social games.To quantify the success of new PC products, DFC worked with Xfire. In the past year, the PC game market in North America and Europe has seen record usage of products like League of Legends, Diablo III and Minecraft. These games, with no retail presence, have consistently seen as many as one million active users a day.?DFC is the ideal partner to help Xfire analyze gameplay data from our user base of more than 21 million gamers in North America, Europe and Asia? said Malcolm CasSelle, CEO, Xfire. ?Xfire has a deep insight into game trends because our app natively tracks the number of players ? and hours played ? for each title, by country. Xfire tracks the growth trajectory of new titles at launch, including which titles keep a share of gamer?s time, and which games get dropped in favor of newer titles.?As the market migrates to online distribution, free-to-play (F2P) has seen a dramatic spike. In order to better understand how revenue can be generated in F2P products, DFC Intelligence has partnered with Live Gamer, the leading global gateway micro-transaction payment system for many of the leading F2P games. In studying transaction data from F2P games DFC discovered purchase behavior of core consumers of an F2P game is much like it is for a traditional boxed retail product. ?Gamers tend to make purchases several times a year in bulk sums of around $20 to $50. A successful game should count on an average paying consumer spending $75 a year for two years,? adds Cole.Mobile devices and social networks such as Facebook feature many free options that allow consumers to avoid paying entirely. In order to better understand attitudes towards these platforms, DFC Intelligence has been surveying core gamers for the past three years. The latest survey indicates that while core gamers are embracing mobile devices in growing numbers, they are not satisfied with the games in social networks like Facebook. DFC forecasts that games in browser and social networks will exceed $8 billion in revenue by 2017 but that growth is dependent on having stronger appeal to core gamers. ?The bottom line is core gamers spend money on products they like and right now the game offerings on sites like Facebook are simply not appealing to that demographics,? said Cole.The 2nd annual Global Gaming Industry Forum is sponsored by DFC Intelligence, Intel, the PC Gaming Alliance (PCGA) and Zebra Partners. In addition to the discussion of the research led by DFC Intelligence, Xfire and Live Gamer, a second panel moderated by Perrin Kaplan of Zebra Partners and featuring Dusty Welch, CEO of U4iA Games, Matt Ployhar, President of the PCGA and Senior Product Planner at Intel, and Dan Offner, a noted game attorney at Loeb and Loeb looked in detail at the issues faced with online distribution models.About DFC IntelligenceDFC Intelligence?is a strategic market research and consulting firm focused on interactive entertainment and the emerging video game, online game, interactive entertainment and portable game markets. Since 1995 DFC has published in-depth strategic market reports and subscription-based research services. DFC research is used by more than 300 leading companies in over 30 countries worldwide. To sign-up for a free sample of DFC research go to the?following form.About XfireXfire? is a venture-backed company based in Santa Monica, Calif., Shanghai, and Chengdu, China. Providing a feature-rich online community platform that transports gamers? social networks into thousands of PC games, Xfire caters to hardcore players, allowing them to connect, share and compete with others gamers across titles and around the world. The site currently has more than six million active monthly users worldwide, and is the first and only company to support in-game chat for customers using Chinese and Korean characters. For more information, please visit?http://www.xfire.com.About Live GamerLive Gamer?is the world?s first combined digital commerce and advertising platform. With an advanced microtransaction and virtual economy engine, global payment gateways, worldwide ad network and video incentive advertising platform, Live Gamer helps online entertainment companies drive maximize revenue from their content, and connects advertisers to a network of over 48 million users. Live Gamer?s technology has been adopted by leading publishers in gaming, entertainment and social including Facebook, Electronic Arts, EMI, Take 2, Sony Online, Namco Networks, REAL Networks and THQ. Advertisers on the Live Gamer Media network include Blizzard, KFC, Best Buy and Sony Computer Entertainment. For more information on Live Gamer and its Elements, Ad Elements, and gamerDNA media services, please visithttp://www.livegamer.com.


Tags (No Tags Associated)

atlanta falcons ryan tannehill cispa pittsburgh steelers detroit lions seattle seahawks space shuttle