8 Web Analytics Tools Every Small Business Needs to Succeed

December 29, 2012

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What role does measurement and tracking play in your small business? If you measure everything then it is likely that you realize the power of? discovering meaningful patterns in your company?s data ? sales, customer, operational and more.

These days there is ?so much data and so little business intelligence,? according to?Seshu Edala a data scientist with Manta.com. ?That?s the irony of the information age, which is adding another 2.5 quintillion bytes?to the data universe each day. Companies can either get buried by this avalanche of big data or use technology tools to mine its riches.?

But thankfully there are tools that make data analysis, tracking and measurement much easier for small businesses. Here are 8 analytics tools that every small business can benefit from:

1. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a service offered by Google that generates detailed statistics about the visits to your company?s website. The online product is built for marketers as opposed to webmasters and technologists ? which lends itself to a more user-friendly approach for novices and pros alike.

Google Analytics lets you measure your advertising ROI and track your Flash, video, and social networking sites and applications within a aesthetically pleasing online dashboard. Best of all ? it is free.

2. KISSmetrics

Wouldn?t you love to track every single interaction a person has with your business? If so, KISSmetrics is for you. Their web analytics software aims to help you increase customer acquisition, improve retention rates and give you the knowledge you need to make better business decisions.

Their person-based analytics platform for your entire team takes the guesswork out of analytics by helping users identify, understand, and improve the metrics that drive their online businesses. They offer solutions that let you understand your customer lifetime value, who?s buying, where they come from and what?s getting you repeat purchases to how people are interacting with your mobile apps, what brings them back and more.

3. Chartbeat

Chartbeat is a betaworks company that provides real-time data for front-line doers who manage websites and blogs. It shows visitors, load times, and referring sites on a minute-by-minute basis. The service also provides alerts the second your website crashes or slows to a crawl.

Every small business owner that is not analytically inclined can appreciate their intuitive, user-friendly interface built with novices in mind. Chartbeat won?t dole out lengthy reports with piles of numbers, instead they are focused on delivering real-time data to the front-line ? in the hands of people who can do, who have the power to change and adapt right now.

4. CloudFlare

CloudFlare is a content delivery network and distributed domain name server that aims to improve website performance, speed and security. Offering both free and paid services, with a single change to DNS, sites are instantly protected from a wide range of online threats, see an increase in page load speeds, and have their content dynamically optimized across the Internet.

Once your company?s website is a part of the CloudFlare community, its web traffic is routed through their intelligent global network. They then automatically optimize the delivery of your web pages so visitors get the fastest page load times and best performance. Interesting fact: the Turkish government has even used CloudFlare.

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Source: http://yfsentrepreneur.com/2012/12/29/8-web-analytics-tools-every-small-business-needs-to-succeed/

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Bhartiya City Urban Developement / Broadway Malyan | ArchDaily

Courtesy of Broadway Malyan

Launched by Broadway Malyan, in collaboration with real estate and infrastructure development company Bhartiya Urban, Bhartiya City is the single largest urban development within the limits of any Indian metropolitan area. The 125-acre design, located in North Bangalore, India, will provide a fully-integrated mix of residential, retail, hospitality and Special Economic Zone uses, as well school, healthcare and sports facilities, making it the first of its kind in India. More images and architects? description after the break.

Courtesy of Broadway Malyan

The city is designed to be highly sustainable, with residents set to live in close proximity to workplaces and so-called ?third spaces?, with the entire city being accessible by foot or bicycle and featuring links to major transport networks by road as well as a potential future rail connection. The practice has been working with client Bhartiya Urban since its Chairman set out his initial vision for an improved quality of life for residents in India, with the practice subsequently appointed to support the client?s plan to deliver an open, accessible and inspirational city development.

Its wide ranging brief in support of precincts two and three covers the delivery of the architectural concept and schematic design, retail interior design, landscape design and public realm strategy. The two precincts comprise of 460,000 square metres of mixed-use development over basement parking and feature six office towers, three hotels, a convention centre, shopping centre, cinema, park and major landscaped areas, as well as Celebration Square, a public performance area that will accommodate 5,000 people.

The practice?s appointment also covers the concept residential design for precinct one, comprising 2,400 residential units, as well as place-making, branding, marketing collateral, graphics and way-finding for the entire city.

Source: http://www.archdaily.com/287693/bhartiya-city-urban-developement-broadway-malyan/

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Verizon Galaxy S3 receiving small update, still not Jelly Bean

Users in our forums are reporting that their Verizon Galaxy SIII (S3) handsets are pulling down a moderately sized (62MB) OTA update. Unfortunately, this isn't the Jelly Bean update that most users are hoping for -- you're still on 4.0.4 for now -- but it does seem to be bringing some useful enhancements. The latest software version, VRALHE, brings the Enhanced Zooming feature to the browser, email and more. It also claims to fix an issue with device restarts, as well as enhance stability in Google Play.

All good and necessary updates, but let's hope the next OTA is to Android 4.1. Take a look at the support document for the update at the source link below, then head to the forums and let us know how the update process went for you.

Source: Verizon (PDF); Android Central Forums; Thanks, Christopher!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/TXiGca3-Y20/story01.htm

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Quarterhorse - Velvet - Large - Young - Female - Horse | Neoga ...

Quarterhorse - Velvet - Large - Young - Female - Horse

This is Velvet. She came to us when she was only 4 months old after having both of her feet on the left side damaged from a barn accident. It was thought at the time that Velvet would never be able to be ridden. Fortunately, she recovered very nicely. She is now 5 years old and is green broke. She has just a little scarring and will have to have shoes to be ridden on a regular basis. She is very people friendly and just a big sweetie. Velvet is approximately 15.2 hands tall and is AQHA registered. She has Zippos Golden Sun, Scottys Last Call, Freckles Playboy, and Sonita Sis in her pedigree. If you are interested in adopting Velvet contact us for more information.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Breed: Quarterhorse
Size: Large
Petfinder ID: 19877088

CONTACT:
Shannons Companions Animal Rescue | Neoga, IL

For additional information, reply to this ad or see: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=19877088

Brought to you by Petfinder.com

Source: http://centralil.ebayclassifieds.com/livestock/neoga/quarterhorse-velvet-large-young-female-horse/?ad=23974327

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Kalamazoo Christian/Hackett football clash surges ahead in Kalamazoo's MLive Game of Week poll (with poll)

Scott DeCamp | sdecamp1@mlive.com, October 15, 2012 3:53 p.m.

Hackett Catholic Central running back Geovante Weston tries to elude a Parchment defensive player during the 2010 season opener at Waldo Stadium. - (Mike Farrell | Special to MLive.com file)

KALAMAZOO, MI -- On Friday, Hackett Catholic Central's Geovante Weston ran wild for a school-record 423 yards on 52 carries in the Irish's win at Parchment.

On Monday, Hackett and Kalamazoo Christian voters were going wild in Kalamazoo's MLive.com Game of the Week football poll.

This Friday's Christian/Hackett game surged into the lead in the Week 9 poll. By 4 p.m. Monday, the Kalamazoo Valley Association rivals had racked up 712 of 1,877 total votes (37.93 percent).

The Christian/Hackett game passed the Southwestern Athletic Conference South Division showdown between Lawton and Watervliet, which had 547 votes.

Portage Northern/Mattawan was third in the poll with 399 votes.

The poll will remain open until 6 p.m. Tuesday. You can vote every hour, and do so here:

Paw Paw/Edwardsburg, Mendon/Pewamo-Westphalia and Constantine/Battle Creek Pennfield are the other choices in Kalamazoo's Week 9 poll.

Last week, the Portage Central/Portage game edged Stevensville Lakeshore/Mattawan in one of the most spirited Game of the Week polls of the season.

The winner of the Game of the Week poll will receive top-flight coverage from the MLive Kalamazoo crew. Coverage includes a preview, live in-game chat, multiple postgame stories and features, and a photo gallery.

Upgrades in our phone apps allow you to join live chats from the field this fall, and we hope you'll share on-the-spot information from other games as well as your comments about the Game of the Week.?Here are the links to the apps: iPhone and Android.

Email Scott DeCamp at sdecamp1@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ScottDeCamp.

?

Source: http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/379727929957795148

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Video: Child music prodigy takes classical world by storm

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49407200/

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No. 7 Notre Dame stops No. 17 Stanford 20-13 in OT

Stanford wide receiver Jamal-Rashad Patterson (21) reacts as he looks to the field during overtime of an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. Notre Dame won in overtime 20-13. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Stanford wide receiver Jamal-Rashad Patterson (21) reacts as he looks to the field during overtime of an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. Notre Dame won in overtime 20-13. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, left, celebrates with defensive end Justin Utupo (53) after Notre Dame defeated Stanford 20-13 in overtime in an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Stanford running back Remound Wright, center, runs with the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Notre Dame safety Matthias Farley (41) intercepts a pass past Stanford tight end Levine Toliolo (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) ? Notre Dame knew what was coming. Stanford doesn't get cute inches from the goal line.

And after three years of getting pushed around by the Cardinal, the Fighting Irish pushed back, winning the most important shoving match they've had all season.

Or did they?

A wall of Notre Dame defenders stopped Stepfan Taylor inches from the end zone on fourth down in overtime and the seventh-ranked Irish remained unbeaten with a 20-13 victory against the No. 17 Cardinal on a soggy Saturday in South Bend.

Taylor went up the middle and was knocked back, but kept reaching and turning with bodies underneath him. His knee never did hit the ground before reaching the ball across the goal line. But the officials ruled it was too late. The whistle had blown, and that meant the play was stopped.

Taylor finished with 102 yards on 28 carries. He needed 103.

The celebration had to wait for a replay review. The call stood. Irish fans who weren't already on the field spilled out of the stands, and Notre Dame's national title hopes remained alive. The Irish are 6-0 for the first time since 2002.

"Physically, we controlled the line of scrimmage," Irish coach Brian Kelly said of the last play. "Classic. Classic goal line stand."

Stanford coach David Shaw wasn't so sure.

"I didn't get a view of the last play," Shaw said. "Stepfan swore to me that he got in. That he put the ball over the goal line on the second effort. The officials looked at it and they said he didn't get in, so he didn't get in."

TJ Jones made a reaching 7-yard touchdown catch from Tommy Rees on the first overtime possession to give the Fighting Irish a lead.

Stanford (4-2) responded by driving to a first-and-goal at the 4.

Behind his big, strong offensive line, Taylor ran for 1 on first, 2 on second and about a foot on third down. That left one play from inside the 1 and the Notre Dame defense, led by Carlos Calabrese, held up Taylor and moved him backward.

"When you're talking to your team all week about a heavyweight match, and you can't keep taking body blows, you have to stand in there and sooner or later, you've got to be the one that delivers," Kelly said.

It had been a few years since that was the case for Notre Dame against Stanford. The Cardinal had won three straight meetings, physically dominating the Irish, with Andrew Luck at the helm.

With Luck gone to the NFL, the Irish stood up to the bullies.

Rees relieved Everett Golson late in the fourth quarter, but this was different from when he did it against Purdue in September and led the Irish to a winning field goal. Golson took a helmet to the head during Notre Dame's game-tying field goal drive late in the fourth.

In the overtime, Rees floated a 16-yard pass to Theo Riddick to convert a third-and-8 to the 7. On the next play, he threw behind Jones on a slant and the receiver reached back for a sliding two-handed catch and a 20-13 lead.

"He made a great catch," Rees said.

Then the Fighting Irish defense, which has now not given up a touchdown in four straight games, made it stand.

"We knew they were going to run the ball," said Irish linebacker Manti Te'o, who made 11 tackles. "We knew that basically No. 33 (Taylor) was going to have the ball. So everybody had to do their job."

The Cardinal will head back home thinking they did their jobs, too.

"I thought he got in on the play before that, but it was a bunch of tough runs, a bunch of tough plays," Stanford quarterback Josh Nunes said. "It was a close play."

Almost half the field was covered with Notre Dame fans, as rain poured down during the postgame celebration. They didn't seem to mind.

Toss another victory into Notre Dame lore.

Jordan Williamson's 27-yard field goal with 6:12 put the Cardinal up 13-10, and the Fighting Irish drove into Cardinal territory when Golson absorbed the helmet hit from Usua Amanam that was flagged for 15 yards.

Golson came out looking shaken. Kelly said later the sophomore had blurry vision.

Rees came in and completed an 11-yard pass to Tyler Eifert, and then on third-and-4 from the 28 Eifert drew a pass interference call on Terrence Brown that gave the Irish a first down at the 13.

The Irish settled for Kyle Brindza's 22-yard field goal with 20 seconds left to tie it at 13.

Two of the nation's best defenses figured to dictate the game on a gray, wet afternoon and they didn't disappoint.

Notre Dame defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt was in the Stanford backfield all day and Te'o was all over Stanford ball carriers.

On the other side, Shayne Skov and Ben Gardner gave Golson and the Irish very little room to operate.

Golson alternated between scary and spectacular, completing 12 of 24 for 141 yards and a touchdown. He also lost two key fumbles ? one that Stanford's Chase Thomas recovered in the end zone in the second quarter for a touchdown and the other in the third that gave the Cardinal the ball back after Golson had made a long run deep into Stanford territory.

Thomas' touchdown put Stanford up 7-3, the first time all season Notre Dame had trailed.

Nunes had a similar day for Stanford, going 12 for 25 for 125 yards with two interceptions.

Notre Dame finally found the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter. On a third-and-18 from the 24, Golson lofted a pass to the front corner of the end zone that the 6-foot-6 Eifert came down with for a 10-10 tie.

Nunes, Taylor and the Cardinal responded with their best drive of the game, a methodical 16-play, 65-yard march that took 8:03 off the clock and reached the Notre Dame 3. The Irish got a stop on third down, though the Stanford players contended they heard a whistle on the play and stopped playing. They settled for Williamson's field and a three-point lead.

The third season under a coach has traditionally been a memorable one at Notre Dame. Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz all won national titles in Year 3 of coaching the Irish.

Kelly's third season in South Bend was already starting to feel as if it could be special, too. Against Stanford, the Irish raised the stakes even higher.

"We're halfway through the season, and six weeks left with this group," Kelly said, "I think they leave here knowing they can win if they stick with the plan."

____

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphdrussoAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-13-T25-Stanford-Notre%20Dame/id-d158d0bc85da4a3a993876c419f132ae

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Passion Pit's 'SNL' Debut: Watch Them ?Take A Walk? & Get ?Carried ...

"Take A Walk" With Passion Pit

Michael Angelakos and his passion project Passion Pit made their Saturday Night Live debut on the October 12 episode, hosted by Christina Applegate. Before the show, we wondered if SNL?s notoriously bad acoustics would turn the group?s propulsive synth-pop into a muddled mess. Fortunately that wasn?t the case, partly because the band wisely opted for a pair of Gossamer?s bouncy, squiggly tracks instead of the LP?s more smothering songs.

The downside to choosing intricacy instead of thick walls of synths, though, is that Angelakos? voice can sound thin when performing those quieter songs live. He struggled a tad on ?Take A Walk,? which you can watch up top, but he found his footing for the second song ?Carried Away? which we?ve posted after the jump.

["Carried Away" via Audio Perv]

Source: http://idolator.com/7145022/passion-pit-snl-video-saturday-night-live

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Video: Streisand performs for first time in hometown Brooklyn

>> one of the world's most successful performers entertaining all around the globe and never in her hometown of brooklyn , until now. nbc's mara schiavocampo is live with more. mara , good morning.

>> reporter: good morning. last night this place was packed with excited fans clamoring for a chance to see streisand 's first ever performance here in brooklyn . of course, she was born and raised here, and until now she had never returned for a show.

>> hello, brooklyn !

>> reporter: it was a homecoming a lifetime in the making. that face

>> reporter: barbra streisand 's first ever performance in her native brooklyn , one fans have waited decades for.

>> i worked my butt off to get tickets for tonight. i'm like, it's brooklyn . her first show here.

>> reporter: coming from all over the world.

>> seriously.

>> reporter: you came just from france?

>> yeah.

>> reporter: including, of course, brooklyn . you were born in brooklyn ?

>> born in brooklyn , went to ps-36.

>> reporter: for the newly erected bark lays center which seats 19,000 a performance for streisand was an obvious choice bringing their most famous superstar home. beneath the moon, the stars

>> when you come back and perform and your family and friends are there, you know, and you're being a star in front of them and, you know, down the street from where you grew up, i mean, that's got to have an extra special allure.

>> reporter: born in 1942 , streisand grew up in the flat flush section of brooklyn .

>> i came from brooklyn . we sat on the stoops. people hung out windows. it was -- there was no air conditioning , you know. it was great.

>> reporter: since then the actress, singer, director has risen to the top of the entertainment world. babs as her fans adoringly call her has won virtually every award there is, including oscars, emmys, grammys and golden globes . but for streisand , who has performed in new york city several times, playing close to home is one of the greatest honors of all as she told "today's" meredith vieira in 2009 .

>> you said tonight you came full circle . this was full circle .

>> mm-hmm, yeah, where i was and where i am, back to the beginning but second time around. memories

>> reporter: returning to an old stomping ground to create new memories. memories

>> reporter: now, that first show sold out so quickly that a second performance was added for saturday. that one also sold out so, savannah, clearly still a diva in demand.

>> mara , did i hear you singing a little bit on that?

>> i got into the spirit

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49386573/

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IMF members endorse policy checklist; warn on growth

TOKYO (Reuters) - World finance leaders endorsed on Saturday a checklist of policy reforms aimed at defusing debt troubles in Europe and the United States and promised to review progress in six months as they tried to revive a flagging economic recovery.

The 10-page global policy agenda, however, largely summarized previously planned steps, such as deploying the European Central Bank's bond-buying program and resolving the U.S. "fiscal cliff" of automatic spending cuts and tax increases that go into effect early next year unless Congress acts.

The checklist and the six-month checkup are designed to hold countries accountable for following through on their commitments, an acknowledgement of frustration within the International Monetary Fund as well as many emerging market economies over the piecemeal policy response.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said members had narrowed their differences over how to implement policy, seeking to downplay disagreements between the Fund and Germany over how quickly debt-laden countries such as Greece should cut budgets.

"There was no objection to the recommendation that we gave to the membership, which was A-C-T," Lagarde said, spelling out the word letter by letter.

"We might not always agree on everything, but I think there is a general consensus that collective action is going to produce results," she added.

In a communique released after two days of talks, IMF members warned that global economic growth was decelerating and that substantial uncertainties and downside risks remained.

But the IMF's governing panel, representing the 188 member countries, praised policy steps, particularly in Europe, which they said made the world financial system safer, even if they had not yet gone far enough.

"Members all agreed that we are in a better position today than we were six months month ago," said Singapore's Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who chairs the committee, in a press conference following the IMF's meeting.

Spain's economy minister, Luis de Guindos, said he felt the mood toward his country lifting too. Spain is under pressure to seek a bailout as it struggles to cope with high government debt and the cost of recapitalizing its banks.

"The atmosphere, from International Monetary Fund policymakers or from the private sector, is much more positive than it was before the summer," de Guindos said.

EMERGING STRAINS

Reports from the IMF this week downgraded global economic growth forecasts for the second time since April and warned of the need for policy action in advanced economies, including the United States, to deal with their debt problems, a hangover from the global financial crisis.

The call for action reflected some frustration among other governments at what they see as plodding progress in Europe and a lack of urgency from Washington to resolve its fiscal cliff.

"Asia alone can't carry the global economy," said Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan. "It is time for the other players to get off the benches and start to pull their weight on global economic growth again."

Emerging markets have been caught in the downdraft as the euro zone recession and sluggish U.S. growth drag down export demand. Former IMF official Eswar Prasad, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said emerging economies were frustrated with the slow pace of reform in the rich world.

"Little progress has been made at these meetings in dealing with festering problems in the euro zone and their fallout on the rest on the world," Prasad said.

European leaders argued this week they had made considerable progress toward building a stronger fiscal and banking union, a point which German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble reiterated on Saturday, earning at least some recognition from the rest of the world.

"This broad framework offers a more promising strategy for addressing the crisis," U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said. "However, what is important is how it will be applied in practice."

Schaeuble pointed out that euro zone decision-making involves 17 national governments, many of which need parliamentary approval, and that takes time.

"If we are not fast enough for markets, sorry but markets have to wait," he said.

(Reporting by Reuters IMF team; Writing by Emily Kaiser; Editing by Neil Fullick)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imf-warns-critical-eu-speed-reform-062309174--business.html

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Self Improvement Is The First Step To Changing Tomorrow | Rob ...

There are quite a few people out there that can help you to gain more knowledge about yourself. Professionals, friends and family are here to help you reflect on yourself through dialogue.

If you?re having trouble dealing with anxiety in public, try going to the movies with a friend. This gets you out into a social setting, but does not require you to socialize to the point where you are uncomfortable. Eventually, it will be second nature to be around a large amount of people.

Stop and realize that you are in one place, and the person you want to be is an entirely different place. You must bridge that gap. This is the best way to be able to set a course of direction to get there. If you fail to notice the difference between your current state and your desired state, you will never reach self-actualization.

Usually what brings your happy mood down is stress. When the human mind is preoccupied with a state of stress, damage can be caused to both physical and mental aspects of the body. To retain clarity of mind and the motivation to work towards our goals, it is critical to banish unnecessary stress from our minds. Allow yourself a set time during each day that you can relax and empty your mind. This mental break each day will improve your peace and clarity of mind, and help improve your self-image.

Focus on one issue at a time. Perhaps you wish to improve several things about yourself, but if you fail to focus on one thing at a time you will quickly become overwhelmed. Adopting new habits one at a time will make it easier to maintain them.

Recognizing your limits when performing physical tasks can actually help you meet your goals. Take your best shot, but know when you have reached your limit. If you push too hard to try and meet your goal too quickly, you may run the risk of injury. Your personal development will suffer greatly if you sacrifice your health.

Humility is a very important trait to have when working on your personal development. If you acknowledge you are tiny and unimportant in the world, it will cause you to realize the lack of knowledge you have. When you know this deep inside, you?ll have a craving for all of that knowledge and experience that you lack.

Know the obstacles you face before you hit them. This seems to be hard from some people. To be successful at self improvement, start by pinpointing any areas of weakness and target these areas for improvement. If you can successfully remove a few obstacles, you might just see a clearer path to your future.

Keep in mind the power of complimenting other people. When you focus on the good in others, you will find that they return the favor.

Maintaining a positive attitude will get you through a lot of tough times while allowing you to grow and mature. Having a bad attitude in life will never get you far and can in fact, lead you in the wrong direction. Staying positive and acting with a good attitude can help you attain your goals.

Leadership is the cornerstone of self improvement. Leadership has many different definitions, but the common theme is influence. Consider your leadership background. Are there events that have had major impacts on your life? How have these events transcended the life that you live? How do you make yourself an important part of a team? Being able to answer these questions will help you realize how important you can be to your team.

Figuring out who you are as a person, aside from how others view you, is a great achievement. Treat yourself kindly and be honest with yourself as the years pass, and enjoy knowing the one person who knows you best

Rob Moore
Award-Winning Author & Leadership Expert
http://TheRobMoore.com

Online Marketing Expert & Leader
http://WorkwithRobMoore.com

?Now Is Your Time To Show Up Step Out & Shine?

?

Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/therobmoore/blog/self-improvement-is-the-first-step-to-changing-tomorrow/

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Sugar Addiction: Part Deux | Psychology Today

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post titled ?Sugar Addiction? where I questioned whether abstinence is the best treatment for sugar addiction. That post sparked discussion amongst my readers and the comments inspired me to write a follow-up to my original post.

There is a growing body of research showing that certain foods can have addictive properties for certain people. The similarities between some eating behaviors and drugs of abuse have resulted in use of the term ?food addiction.? The term ?addiction? is value-laden with strong associations to substance abuse. Abstinence has long been the primary mode of treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and it is the most widely accepted path to recovery. However, there are alternate methods of recovery from substance abuse, including the harm reduction model that has helped people to recover from substance abuse without requiring complete abstinence. Just as there is more than one path to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, there is more than one path to recovery from food addiction.? ?

Food addiction occupies a gap between substance abuse and eating disorders. Traditionally, these two fields have remained separate and have evolved with different methods of treatment. While much of substance abuse treatment has focused on abstinence, eating disorder treatment has focused on the opposite- lessening restrictions around food. Research has shown that restricting your food intake (abstinence) most often leads to binge eating, loss of control, and other disordered eating behaviors. In addition, classifying foods as ?good? or ?bad? also tends to increase disordered eating, in part because of the judgments that we make about ourselves when we eat a ?good? or ?bad? food. Have you ever thought ?I was bad tonight? based on what you ate? This type of thinking fuels eating disorders.

Of course, we cannot be completely abstinent from food. Unlike drugs and alcohol, we need food to survive. Food nourishes our bodies and provides us with the energy that we need to soar through our day. Since we cannot avoid all foods, what about just eliminating sugar? Sugar is often singled out as a culprit in the addictive process (remember what I said earlier about labeling foods as ?good? or ?bad??). Sugar has become ubiquitous in our food products. It is in everything from breakfast cereal to canned fish to salad dressing to dried fruit to ketchup. In fact, sugar is in most processed foods and restaurant meals. It is nearly impossible to avoid sugar without finding yourself on a highly restrictive diet. And it is exactly this type of restrictive dieting that buys you a seat on the diet-binge rollercoaster.

I believe that mindful eating is our ticket off this ride. Through mindful eating, we learn to eat in tune with our bodies and provide our bodies with the nourishment that it requires to function effectively. Through mindful eating and mindful observation, we may find that certain foods don?t make our bodies-minds feel good and chose not to eat these foods. These foods are available to us should we chose to eat them. They are not off limits. They are neither good nor bad and we are neither good nor bad because we chose to eat or not eat these foods. We make decisions moment-to-moment as we mindfully chose what we will and will not eat.

The bottom line is: do what works for you! If abstinence from sugar has helped curb your problematic eating behaviors then by all means continue abstaining from sugar. However, if abstinence is not working for you and you are continuing to ride the diet-binge rollercoaster, please know that there are other options available to you. There are multiple paths to recovery and you must keep searching until you find what works for you. Healing from disordered eating and food addictions is best done with professional help from a licensed mental health practitioner. I wish you all peace in your relationship with food.?

?

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eating-mindfully/201210/sugar-addiction-part-deux

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Sociology Lens - The Society Pages

NYC Mayor Bloomberg
Source: WikiCommons

New York City is a city characterized by its diversity and multiculturalism. Some of the U.S.?s largest populations of racial and ethnic minorities live within the city limits. And yet, in many ways, NYC continues to drop the ball when it comes to truly integrating its diverse population. A recent example illustrates this problem.

The NAACP recently filed a federal civil rights complaint, stating that the city?s elite public schools, like Stuyvesant and Bronx Science, have accepted far too few black and Latino/a students (at Stuyvesant, for example, only about 1% of students are black, and just about 2.5% are Latino/a) and that the entrance test required for acceptance is not a reliable measure of success. Students might have gotten straight As every year, have recommendations from teachers, or demonstrated excellence in extracurricular activities, but none of this is considered; only the test score matters. The NAACP would prefer that multiple measures be used to determine entrance to these schools. And what was Mayor Bloomberg?s response to the complaint of this highly respected civil rights group? ?Life isn?t always fair.?

According to our Mayor, it is not the city?s responsibility or concern if some students have access to expensive tutoring and enrichment activities that will inevitably improve their entrance exam scores. For Mayor Bloomberg, the concern is whether the test is objective or not, not whether students from various racial/ethnic backgrounds are able to succeed on it. And by his account, the test is objective??You pass the test, you get the highest score, you get into the school, no matter what your ethnicity, no matter what your economic background is. That?s been the tradition in these schools since they were founded and it?s going to continue to be? (NY Daily News). Mayor Bloomberg fails to see how your race, ethnicity, and economic background might work against you getting the highest score.Mayor Bloomberg?s ?life isn?t fair? response is not only insensitive, but also sociologically uninformed. There are many reasons to question whether a single entrance exam can accurately demonstrate a student?s ability. Especially when that student is a racial minority, who very likely comes from a low-income background and may have attended a poorly funded school. Though Mayor Bloomberg claims to care about equality of opportunity (as opposed to equality of outcomes), his recent stance represents a fundamental lack of understanding about racial discrimination and poverty, and about how these might undermine the seemingly ?equal opportunity? exam.

Here are some of the things we know about the experiences of many black and Latino/a students in our country: they are disproportionately from low income backgrounds, and much more likely to live in segregated neighborhoods; they are much more likely to attend predominantly minority schools, schools that have large poor populations, schools that are much more likely to be underfunded; they are more likely to attend large schools, with large classes, low quality materials and buildings, and less qualified teachers; they are less likely to have personal computers or internet access at home; their parents are less likely to be able to provide tutoring services and other enrichment activities. Moreover, they are more likely to be affected by hunger and poor health. For them, Mayor Bloomberg is right?life really isn?t fair. And not only is it unfair, it is unjust.

I hope that the NAACP and its co-council pursue this case to the fullest. I hope that the criteria for admission to these schools expands to include better measures of success, measures that might be more sensitive to the issues facing underprivileged students. But this case is just a small step, and won?t change the many things I?ve listed above. Problems of segregation and racial discrimination are so complex, owing to their long history and deep entrenchment in our society. The real question is how to secure justice for the growing population of poor and minority students across the country.

Additional Readings

Adelman, Robert M. and James Clarke Gocker. 2007. Racial Residential Segregation in Urban America. Sociology Compass 1(1): 404-423

ERASE Racism. A Tale of Two Schools: Race and Education on Long Island. (documentary)

Source: http://thesocietypages.org/sociologylens/2012/10/11/life-isnt-always-fair-mayor-bloomberg-on-alleged-racial-discrimination-in-nyc-elite-schools/

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Mothers Support: Hypothetical What-ifs ? Mothers Central Blog

Welcome to the Mothers Central Blog. We currently put a new post up every Thursday! If you enjoy our blog, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed, share your comments, and check out our MC Voices Page . Thanks for visiting!

NOTE: On Thursday, October 18th, the National Association of Mothers? Centers will be hosting a webinar by best-selling author Kristin Maschka as part of the NAMC Webinar Series entitled: The 6 Biggest Money Making Mistakes Mothers Make. This webinar attempts to set moms up to take action on the bigger mistakes that impact our lifetime financial health and well-being. This topic caused me to reflect on how quickly life can take an unexpected turn for the worse ? both financially and personally.

It was 8:25 p.m. on an early October evening. I was sitting in the rare silence of my home catching up on some reading when I heard the distant yet piercing sounds of ambulance sirens.

8:25 p.m.

• Only 25 short minutes after putting a long day of responsibilities?and three kids to rest.
• Only 25 short minutes into a little downtime for myself before heading off to bed.
• Only 25 short minutes since my husband had left for his evening run.

On this dark, chilly night, amongst the increasing screams of ambulance sirens that seemingly grew closer and closer to our home, I began to worry as my mind drifted towards thoughts of what-if?

What-if something had happened to my husband??

Questions with Hard Answers

Life is filled with hypothetical what-ifs, most of which only occasionally happen.

What if? I forget to send that email?
What if? I don?t have enough time in my day to finish this or that?
What if, what-if, what-if?

Yet this time, surrounded by the exhaustion of my day, my what-ifs became much darker.

What if? I was suddenly left alone to take care of our kids by myself?

I tried to allow my fears to subside as the sirens became more distant ? their destination obviously much further then my husband?s run would take him. However, once the questions turn-on, they can be very hard to turn-off. And soon I was flooded with other hypothetical thoughts.

What if? extended family could no longer help care as much for our children?
What if? my husband or I lost our jobs or couldn?t work anymore?

In these worst-case scenarios, what would we do? How quickly things could change?

Independence and Reliance

I rely a lot on my husband to help get our children to and from various activities when I?m busy, to pick up groceries most weeks, to make dinners on occasion, and to assist in homework when I can?t. My husband also gives me emotional support on those days I am mentally drained and contributes greatly to our family?s household bills.

What?s more, not only do I rely on my husband, but I also rely a lot on family members ? especially for their generous, loving and reliable childcare.

I will admit, after becoming a mother, all the scary hypothetical what-ifs now seem SO MUCH MORE real to me. One slip, one unexpected event, could drastically change our comfortable lives.

The reality is motherhood can be one of the single biggest risk factors for poverty.

Illness, divorce, unexpected deaths and many, many other circumstances can quickly take any mother from supported independence, to dependence with little support.

What-if your house is worth more than you can sell it for?
What-if you can?t afford childcare, but also can?t afford to not go back to work?
What-if ?

Life?s hypothetical ?what-ifs? can quickly erase any preconceived notion of how one thought their life might turn out.

~

It?s 8:30 p.m. ? only 5 minutes later ? when my husband walks into our home, closing the front door to the darkness of the evening. As he enters he casually glances my way.

?Did you hear those sirens?? he mentions. ?I know it?s crazy, but I kept thinking what-if they were going to our house?I almost called during my run just to make sure you were okay!?

And I knew exactly what he meant.

Scary thoughts ? that I?d like to think wouldn?t happen to us? but? what if?

Leave a comment: How do you deal with life?s big, hypothetical what-ifs?

~

NAMC Webinars are FREE
to NAMC Members and $20 for non members.

Visit our webinar schedule to learn more about preparing financially as a mother
and to view other upcoming webinar topics.

~

The NAMC advocates to encourage a society where the work of taking care of others is valued, supported and at the center of public discussion. For more in-depth insight and conversations on public policy and caregiving support, consider visiting the NAMC?s Advocacy Blog ? Your (Wo)man in Washington.

I am a staff member of the National Association of Mothers' Centers and a longtime member of the Mothers' Center of Greater Toledo in Ohio. My husband and I are busy raising 3 children ages 2-9. I have a professional background as a graphic designer in the creative and education industry. Since 2005, I have been using my professional skills by actively volunteering with the Mothers' Center of Greater Toledo in various leadership positions.

Kate Fineske

Tagged as: Ann Crittenden, finanial mistakes, Kristin Maschka, mother support, mothers group, NAMC Webinars, The Price of Motherhood

Source: http://www.motherscenter.org/blog/2012/10/hypothetical-what-ifs/

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Doctors remove bullet from Pakistani girl activist

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) ? Pakistani doctors successfully removed a bullet Wednesday from the neck of a 14-year-old girl who was shot by the Taliban for speaking out in support of education for women, a government minister said.

A team of army and civilian surgeons have been treating Malala Yousufzai in a military hospital in Peshawar where she was airlifted after the Tuesday shooting in her hometown of Mingora in the country's volatile Swat Valley.

The operation to remove the bullet took hours because there were complications, said the information minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Mian Iftikhar Hussain.

"She is improving. But she is still unconscious," he said. "I can't say a final word about her condition. A board of doctors is constantly examining her condition."

Hussain said there was no decision yet whether the girl needed to be taken abroad for further treatment.

Malala is admired across Pakistan for exposing the Taliban's atrocities and advocating for girls' education in the face of religious extremism. On Tuesday, a Taliban gunman walked up to a bus taking children home from school and shot her in the head and neck. Another girl on the bus was also wounded.

The country's army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, visited the hospital to get a first-hand account of her condition, the military said in a statement.

"In attacking Malala, the terrorist have failed to grasp that she is not only an individual, but an icon of courage and hope who vindicates the great sacrifices that the people of Swat and the nation gave, for wresting the valley from the scourge of terrorism," Kayani said in the statement.

He also vowed that the military would not bow to terrorists like those who shot the young activist.

"We will fight, regardless of the cost we will prevail," he said.

The strongly-worded statement was extremely rare for the reticent Kayani and a sign of how strongly Malala's shooting has affected Pakistanis across the religious, political and ethnic spectrum.

Malala began writing a blog when she was just 11 under the pseudonym Gul Makai for the BBC about life under the Taliban, and began speaking out publicly in 2009 about the need for girls' education. The Taliban strongly opposes education for women, and the group has claimed responsibility for the Tuesday attack.

Private schools in the Swat Valley were closed Wednesday in a sign of protest over the shooting and in solidarity with Malala, said Ahmed Shah, the chairman of an association of private schools.

At one time the picturesque Swat Valley ? nicknamed the Switzerland of Pakistan ? was a popular tourist destination for Pakistanis. Honeymooners vacationed along the river running through the valley.

Then the Taliban in 2007 began infiltrating the valley just 280 kilometers (175 miles) from the capital, eventually assuming near-total control of the region before being ejected in a massive Pakistani military operation.

The takeover, as well as the Taliban's brutal treatment of civilians in the region, shocked many Pakistanis, who considered militancy to be a far-away problem in Afghanistan or Pakistan's rugged tribal regions.

But Tuesday's attacked demonstrated that the Taliban have not been eradicated from the valley and are trying to make their presence felt even three years after the offensive to oust them.

Malala was nominated last year for the International Children's Peace Prize, which is organized by the Dutch organization KidsRights to highlight the work of children around the world. She also was honored last year with one of Pakistan's highest awards for civilians for her bravery.

__

Associated Press writer Sherid Zada in Mingora contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/doctors-remove-bullet-pakistani-girl-activist-071433477.html

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Manage Your Time With Voice Dictation Software Tips - Angela Booth

Dictation software is popular because it saves time. You can speak three times faster than you can type, so consider dictation apps if you haven?t tried them.

If you?ve tried them, and gave up, try again; it can take at least a couple of weeks to become comfortable dictating. The time you save over years is worth a little hassle for a couple of weeks.

Which Dictation Software?

Voice recognition software pops up everywhere. It?s part of both the Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. If you?re an iPhone user, the Siri personal assistant has been both praised and reviled. I?m in the haters camp. I turned off Siri; life?s too short.

If you?re a professional, and need voice dictation, you?ll get the best results from a commercial product. Over the years, commercial voice recognition software has devolved into the ?Dragon? range of products from Nuance.

I?ve used both Dragon Naturally Speaking (Windows) and Dragon Dictate (Mac.) Although the Windows product is superior, in its latest incarnation, Dictate almost matches it.

My production computer is a Mac; I haven?t used the Windows version of Dragon for a while, so everything in this article relates primarily to my experiences with Dragon Dictate.

These tips work for me; your mileage may vary. Dictation is intensely personal.

Voice Dictation Tips

* Take the time to train your software

Over time, the software builds up a voice profile for you. After installation, ?train? the software the way you usually dictate. Unfortunately, mood, microphone, and time of day can confuse your profile, which leads to more errors in transcription.

For example, my voice is scratchy first thing in the morning, so I?ve learned that I can?t dictate early in the day; I need a coffee or two to lubricate my vocal cords.

Retrain occasionally, if you?re finding that you?re getting too many errors.

* Speak clearly, at a normal rate of speech

Dragon Dictate has fewer errors the faster I speak, so I?ve learned to jot a few notes before I open my mouth. Otherwise, I hesitate, and this leads to transcription errors.

Try to speak clearly, without over-enunciating. Take two or three deep breaths before you start speaking, and try to relax.

* Spell out errors while you?re dictating

Your software will make errors, some humorous. Take the time to correct obvious errors while you?re dictating, so that your profile is updated.

Occasionally Dictate will interpret dictation as a command; resist the temptation to throw your computer against the wall. I?ve found that sticking with the Notepad in Dictate, rather than dictating into applications like MS Word, helps with this.

* Take the time to proofread

Voice dictation software is far from perfect. You?ll need to correct sound-alike errors like ?to? for ?two? or ?too.?

For me, the most common sound-alikes are ?there? for ?their?. Complete your dictation, then proofread on another day. Dictate will read your work back to you; this helps with proofing.

Resources

* Nuance

* How to Become a Prolific Writer

* To Do List Power

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Tagged as: Dictation, Dictation Software, Dragon Naturallyspeaking, Dragondictate, Voice Dictation, Voice Dictation Software, Voice Recognition Software

Source: http://angelabooth.com/wp/2012/10/11/time-management-tips-dictation-software-as-a-time-saver/

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Police release video of missing Colorado girl

DENVER (AP) ? Authorities scoured a suburban Denver neighborhood for clues Tuesday and urged people to watch out for a 10-year-old girl who disappeared four days earlier on her way to school.

Westminster police released more photos of Jessica Ridgeway along with a short home video, saying it would help the public learn her mannerisms and the sound of her voice.

Authorities asked the public to note the fifth-grader's distinguishing characteristics, such as a small gap between her front teeth and a sore on her nose below where her eyeglasses sit, adding that she might not be wearing glasses.

Jessica was last seen Friday morning after leaving home to meet friends at a park so they could walk to school. Police say she didn't meet up with her friends or reach the campus.

Authorities got a late start searching for her because her mother works nights and slept through a call Friday from school officials after Jessica didn't arrive for classes.

Police found her backpack on a sidewalk in a neighborhood about six miles north of her home two days after she went missing. Police had it analyzed at the state crime lab after taking DNA samples from her family.

Jessica's mother, Sarah Ridgeway, told KUSA-TV in Denver that her home is too quiet without Jessica.

"I want her to come walking back through that door," she said. "I need her to come walking back through that door."

Her father, Jeremiah Bryant, pleaded for his daughter's safe return.

"I just want to find my daughter. I just want her back home," he told KUSA. "It's by far the worst thing I've ever been through. Still is."

Bryant has been living recently with his grandmother Donna Moss in Independence, Mo. Moss said she last saw Jessica about six weeks ago when Jessica and her mother came through the Kansas City area on their way home from a vacation.

Court records indicate Bryant was ordered to pay Sarah Ridgeway $267 per month in child support in 2005. Moss, a retired nurse, said the families have always been on good terms, and she saw Jessica about once a year.

"There has never been a custody issue with Jessica, and we've had a good relationship all along with" Jessica's mother, she said. "Whenever they go on vacation or whenever we can afford to go to Colorado or he can afford to go to Colorado without me, we get together and it's not a hostile environment of any kind. No way, shape or form."

Court records also show Bryant was sentenced this summer to supervised probation in a domestic assault case in Missouri. Information on the alleged victim wasn't immediately available.

Jamie McGeehan, 30, the mother of two of Bryant's other children, said people have been asking her about Bryant.

"On behalf of our daughters, we would like to say that it doesn't matter what type of person their dad, Jeremiah Bryant, is. The point is to find Jessica. She is missing," McGeehan said. "Neither Sarah or Jeremiah have her. So please help us find her. ... I know he doesn't have her. We would tell Sarah right away if he did."

Police searched Moss' home Friday after telling her Jessica was missing.

"I said I'm sure I don't have any problem with you going through my house. We don't have Jessica and for God's sake if we don't have her and her mom doesn't have her please do everything you can to find her," Moss said.

Moss said police later told Bryant that Jessica was missing "and he absolutely came apart."

"It was like, 'My God, who would have my kid?' It does something to your head. It does something to your head or your heart or something," Moss said

Moss said that even though Jessica came from a broken relationship, "it wasn't a relationship that was ever ugly."

"It was a relationship that they were too young," Moss said.

She and Bryant's mother planned to head to Colorado on Tuesday and join Bryant. A prayer vigil is planned Wednesday evening at an Independence park, Moss said.

Denver media reported that an FBI evidence team arrived at the girl's home after family members left to record the TV interview Tuesday. FBI spokesman Dave Joly confirmed some team members were at the home but declined to elaborate.

Police spokesman Trevor Materasso implied that investigators were focusing attention on a possible abduction but refused to comment on what techniques police were using as they try to find her.

He said her family has cooperated in the investigation from the start.

Searchers have also scoured open areas near where the backpack was found. Authorities planned to wrap up a search of fields near her home Tuesday and continue interviews with residents in Jessica's neighborhood.

More than 800 volunteers turned out for Saturday's search, and more than 400 leads have been called in to a tip line. Hundreds of community members pointed flashlights to the sky at two vigils for Jessica on Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile police almost 500 miles away in Cody, Wyo., were investigating the abduction of an 11-year-old girl. Police say a man enticed the girl into his SUV Monday by claiming he needed help finding a missing puppy. The man threatened the girl with a pistol, sexually assaulted her and left her outside the town.

"We are not ignoring the fact that we have somewhat similar situations in a short period of time," Jefferson County sheriff's spokeswoman Jacki Kelley of Colorado told The Denver Post. "Whether they are related or not, we cannot say one way or the other."

___

Sudekum reported from Independence, Mo. AP researcher Judith Ausuebel in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-release-video-missing-colorado-girl-165319357.html

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Pussy Riot prize nomination stirs row in German town

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German town where Martin Luther helped inspire the Protestant Reformation five centuries ago has drawn accusations of honoring blasphemy for nominating Russian punk rock band Pussy Riot for a freedom of speech prize.

Politicians in Lutherstadt Wittenberg have recommended Pussy Riot for the national "Fearless Word" prize in honour of Luther, a monk excommunicated and outlawed after nailing 95 theses to a church door in 1517 and criticizing the mighty Catholic Church.

Delegates from 16 German towns with links to Luther will decide in November on the winner of the 10,000 euro prize.

However, Wittenberg town council's nomination has stirred outrage among many Germans - both Protestants and Catholics - who object to the band's staging of their punk protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a revered Orthodox Church.

"It would be a disastrous signal if our town's nomination of Pussy Riot were to win the Luther Prize," said Friedrich Schorlemmer, a local Protestant theologian and widely respected civil rights activist in former Communist East Germany.

"A Luther town should not honour blasphemy," he told the Leipziger Volkszeitung daily, adding that both the band's name and its lyrics were objectionable.

Three members of Pussy Riot were convicted of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred in August and are in jail after staging a "punk prayer" in Moscow's Christ the Saviour Church and asking the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin.

Eckhard Naumann, Mayor of Wittenberg, told German radio Deutschlandradio Kultur on Tuesday that the town would stick to its nomination, which he said had been made democratically.

Naumann said while Pussy Riot's protest bordered on the unacceptable and had "certainly" hurt the feelings of some religious people, Wittenberg was not seeking to honour any provocation of the church or state but rather "the courage of the young women" who had continued their protest in the face of repression.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative ally Ruprecht Polenz, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag lower house, said he opposed the nomination.

"(Pussy Riot) accepted they were hurting religious feelings to deliver a political message. That should not be recommended," Polenz was quoted as saying in the Berliner Zeitung.

In 2011, journalists from Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta won the Luther award for reporting on corruption and organized crime. Other winners include a German policewoman who fought right-wing extremism, a Muslim woman attacked for not wearing a headscarf and people who resisted East German Communism.

Luther nailed his theses to Wittenberg's Schlosskirche and attacked papal abuses and corruption within the clergy.

Forced into hiding, he became a leading figure in Europe's Protestant Reformation and also translated the Bible into German. He is widely credited with helping spread the language.

(Additional reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Gareth Jones and Diana Abdallah)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pussy-riot-prize-nomination-stirs-row-german-town-174700345.html

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Police: Attacks across Iraq kill 3 soldiers

BAGHDAD (AP) ? Authorities say three Iraqi soldiers have been killed and 16 people have been wounded in the latest attacks across the country.

A police official says a roadside bomb struck an army patrol in Baghdad's western suburb of Abu Ghraib early on Tuesday, killing three soldiers and wounding three others.

A medic at a nearby hospital confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

Brig. Gen. Sarhat Qadir says a parked car bomb exploded as a mini-bus drove by in the central town of Sulaiman Bek, wounding 10 passengers.

Police say three policemen were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their patrol in the western city of Mosul.

Violence has ebbed in Iraq, but insurgent attacks are still frequent.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-attacks-across-iraq-kill-3-soldiers-115437928.html

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