Despite ?child porn? remark by South Dakota legislator, MMA on its way to regulation there

It turns out comparing MMA to child porn is not the best lobbying technique. After a congressman in South Dakota rallied against a bill to regulate MMA by calling it "the child porn of sports," the bill still passed through the South Dakota House 50-20.

Steve Hickey, the representative who grabbed plenty of headlines by fighting against MMA's regulation in his state, tried to add an amendment to create a commission that would oversee different disciplines of martial arts but not MMA, because that makes a ton of sense. Wait, no, it doesn't. The South Dakotan House saw the lack of sense in that amendment and defeated it.

After the bill makes a quick stop in the Senate to review the amendments that were passed, the bill will head to the desk of South Dakota governor Dennis Daugaard. He has strongly opposed MMA in the past, but the South Dakota Argus Leader says it will still likely become a law:

Daugaard could sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without his signature. Both houses of the Legislature passed the fight commission bill with margins sufficient to override any veto.

Hickey's remarks about MMA brought back memories of governments across the country banning "no-holds barred" fighting in the late 90s, and Senator John McCain calling MMA "human cockfighting." Since then, regulation and rules have turned MMA into the sport we know today. It's now regulated in 46 states, and in 2007, McCain even praised MMA's progress.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/despite-child-porn-remark-south-dakota-legislator-mma-152037898--mma.html

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Euro zone sentiment rises for fourth month in February

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Economic and business confidence in the 17 countries using the euro improved for the fourth straight month in February, the European Commission said on Wednesday, as factories saw their order books filling up.

Economic sentiment in the euro zone rose by a better-than-expected 1.6 points to 91.1, continuing a recovery started in November last year, the Commission said.

The euro hit a session high against the dollar after the data release, before slipping back slightly to trade around 1.3093 by 1035 GMT.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected a reading of 89.8.

The euro zone was managing to eke out a small recovery, but it was too soon to be optimistic about a broader trend, Capital Economics economist Ben May said.

"Clearly the Italian election and the political uncertainty and the market uncertainty that resulted from that is potentially another trigger for a new downward leg in business and consumer sentiment, and given that this survey predates that I think you certainly wouldn't want to assume you are going to see this continued upward trend in sentiment over the months ahead," he said.

The Commission also said business morale increased by 0.36 points to -0.73, reaching a level last seen in May 2012.

The European Central Bank's unprecedented decision last year to buy the bonds of governments who ask for help calmed the euro zone crisis dramatically, removing the risk for businesses of a break-up of the currency bloc.

The mood in factories brightened in February and managers told the Commission they saw rosier outlooks on expected production and on the size of overall order books. Morale in services also drove the rise in confidence, with service confidence up slightly as managers revised past evaluations.

Optimism was due to "sharp improvements in managers' assessment of the past business situation, and to a lesser extent, their views on past demand", the Commission said.

Consumer confidence increased marginally in the euro zone, by 0.3 points. Consumers were more positive about the future economy in general, but pessimistic about their own ability to save money over the next 12 months.

For graphic on the data, click here:

http://link.reuters.com/bas36s

For European Commission data click on:

http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/db_indicators/surveys/index_en.htm

(Reporting By Ethan Bilby; editing by Robin Emmott and Rex Merrifield)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/euro-zone-sentiment-rises-fourth-month-february-100856216--business.html

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Outsourcing relationships and peddling influence: Why social media ...

When I first started blogging in 2006, the medical blogosphere consisted of a small group of physicians, nurses, and patient advocates. We knew each other well, and spent time each day visiting our favorite blogs and posting personal comments of encouragement and insight. We developed real friendships, and were optimistic about our brave new online writing frontier. We thought we could change the healthcare system for the better, we believed that our perspectives could influence policy, and we were sure that our writing could help our patients lead healthier lives.

I remember with great fondness the medical blogger conference that I attended in Las Vegas in 2009. It was the first time I?d met most of my blog friends in real life (IRL) ? it was like seeing your favorite pen pals after years of correspondence. We talked all night, had marveled at how a love of writing had brought together a surgeon from South Africa, an ER nurse from California, and a Canadian rehab physician, among others. We figured that social media was the glue that held us all together. Since then, I am sad to say that for me, the glue has lost its stickiness due to dilution by third parties and a glut of poor quality content dividing attentions and exhausting our brains? filter system.

Fast forward 7 years and most of my email correspondence is from strangers wanting to embed text links in my blog, people selling SEO services, or PR agencies inviting me to provide free coverage of their industry-sponsored conferences and webinars. I can?t think of a single friend who has left a comment on my blog in the past three months. Sure we see each other?s updates on Facebook and occasionally on Twitter, but I can?t remember the last real conversation we?ve had. Social Media has become?irreversibly cluttered, and I?ve never felt more isolated or guarded about the future of medical writing.

My thoughts on this subject gelled when Twitter announced that LeBron James was following me (along with a select 80,000+ others). Obviously, LeBron has no idea who I am, and I?m almost certain he had nothing to do with his Twitter account following me. He, like many others, has outsourced his online relationship-making. It?s the ultimate irony ? using social media to distance yourself from others, while maintaining an appearance of engagement. Sort of like sending a blow up doll of yourself to a party.

So what keeps some people going on these social media platforms? Perhaps it?s the allure of influence ? the idea that many people are listening to you gives a sense of importance and meaning to your efforts. But take a cold hard look at your followers ? do you know who most of them are? Or is there a large group of ?hotchick123? type Twitter accounts counted among them? I used to block followers who didn?t seem real or relevant, but it became so much of a chore that I couldn?t keep up. I was overwhelmed by the Huns.

One could argue that my social media fatigue ?is my own fault ? I didn?t screen my followers properly, I didn?t follow the ?right? people, I haven?t curated my friendships with as much care as I ought to? But I know I?m not alone in my pessimism. A recent Pew Research poll suggests that people are leaving Facebook at a rapid rate. And as far as Twitter is concerned, it?s not for everyone.

I guess the bottom line for me is that social media isn?t as much fun as it used to be. I miss my blog friends, I miss the early days of being part of an online community. I don?t write as much as I used to because I don?t know my audience by name anymore. This ?party? is full of strangers and I don?t like the familiarity that continues in the absence of true friendship.

Time to spend more of my energy on my patients, family, and friends IRL. And that?s a good lesson for a doctor to learn?
?

This post was originally published on Better Health.

Source: http://www.disruptivewomen.net/2013/02/27/outsourcing-relationships-and-peddling-influence-why-social-media-is-not-fun-anymore/

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Heart Health: Mediterranean Diet and Ways to Prevent ... - Shape

The Mediterranean Diet?which emphasizes fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, olive oil, seeds, herbs, and spices?has long been touted by organizations such as the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association as a heart-healthy diet plan, and research suggests it may even make you happier. Now a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says that about 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths could actually be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to the Mediterranean Diet.

We may not all be able to live on a private Greek island, but since February is American Heart Month, there's no better time than now for a refresher course on the simple, everyday steps you can take to protect your heart for years to come.

1. Get moving. There's a reason why working out is the best thing you can do for your body! Regular exercise can lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol, prevent weight gain, help you drop pounds, and strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system (and those are just a few of its many benefits!).

2. Stress less. A little stress can be good for your health, but if you constantly feel frazzled, anxious, or overwhelmed, you may be putting yourself at increased risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and arthritis. Our expert tips will help you cope with stress and cool down after a long, hard day.

3. Don't light up. This is a tip you probably hear often, but it's worth repeating. Smoking offers no health benefits and increases your risk of developing respiratory problems, heart problems, skin problems, stroke, and an early death.

4. Learn the signs of a heart attack. "Hollywood heart attacks"?what doctors call events where someone gasps for air, clutches her chest, and falls to the ground?do happen, but far more often than not, the most common signs of a heart attack are much more subtle and include tightness in the chest, discomfort, nausea, fatigue, and jaw pain. Women are less likely than men to call 911 (though they're more likely to call if they think someone else is having a heart attack), making it imperative to know your risk of a heart attack and understand the signs.

5. Lower your blood pressure. Research suggests that 65 percent of those younger than 40 who have high blood pressure don't know they do, putting them at risk for hypertension. Luckily, by making a few simple lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure easily without meds.

Source: http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/shape-shares-5-ways-protect-your-heart

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Dr. Roach: Some breast cancer patients must watch soy intake

Dr. Roach: Some breast cancer patients must watch soy intake

Dr. Keith Roach

Dear Dr. Roach: Having been advised by oncologists to avoid all soy products in our diet (and taking an aromatase inhibitor to reduce the amount of estrogen produced by our bodies), several other estrogen receptor positive breast cancer patients and I have the following questions: How do phytoestrogens compare with estrogens produced by the body? Is soy the only food to avoid, or do other foods such as beans, nuts or coffee present a danger? Are all forms of soy equally detrimental? They seem to be everywhere (soy lecithin, soybean oil, soy protein, soy sauce, etc.). ? C.S.

Soy protein contains isoflavones, which act as weak estrogens in the body. Some studies have shown no adverse effects on breast cancer patients taking in large amounts of soy protein; however, you should continue to follow the advice of your oncologists. It?s possible that by taking in enough soy protein, you can get an elevated estrogen blood level. High blood estrogen levels are of concern in women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers, since the estrogen causes the cancers to grow.

Soy phytoestrogens are unique to soy: nuts and coffee do not have them. Similarly, since it?s the soy protein that is at issue, soy lecithin, a fat emulsifier, is not a problem. Soybean oil and soy sauce contain no protein and are also not a concern.

Dear Dr. Roach: I am 82 years old and have never had chickenpox. My physician wants me to get the chickenpox vaccine and then the shingles shot. I took my prescription to the health department, which is where I was supposed to get the chickenpox vaccine, but the nurses were reluctant to give it. Someone from disease control was supposed to call me, but so far I haven?t heard from them. My question is, if I haven?t had chickenpox, why do I need the vaccine just to take the shingles shot?

Everybody over 60 should have the vaccine for shingles, whether or not they have had chickenpox or shingles. In fact, the vaccine for shingles uses the same strain as the vaccine for chicken pox ? but the shingles vaccine is at least 14 times more potent. The American Council on Immunization Practices recommends just the shingles vaccine for people who have never had chickenpox. Just get the shingles vaccine.

DR. KEITH ROACH IS A SYNDICATED COLUMNIST WITH NORTH AMERICA SYNDICATE INC., P.O. BOX 536475, ORLANDO, FL 32853-6475.

Source: http://lubbockonline.com/health/2013-02-27/dr-roach-some-breast-cancer-patients-must-watch-soy-intake

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Jenelle Evans: Back in Rehab For Heroin Addiction!?

Source:

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PFT: 'Do you like girls?' question investigated

Getty Images

Josh Cribbs has played his entire NFL career with the Browns after playing his college football at nearby Kent State, and he?s eager enough to stick around that he?d be willing to give the Browns a hometown discount. Just not too big a hometown discount.

Cribbs, who is about to become a free agent, said on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland that he doesn?t have any kind of update on contract negotiations. But he?s still hoping things can be worked out.

?It?s at a standstill right now,? Cribbs said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. ?I?m hearing a lot of different meetings are being scheduled with different teams and everything. My plan is to stay with the team as much as possible, even to take a slight pay cut. But at the same time, not huge pay cuts. And I?m trying to work with the team. I want to be a Brown. I want to end my career here. We have the coaches to do it now, to take it to the next level, and I definitely want to be there.?

According to Cribbs, he and his camp have shown more interest in getting a deal done than the Browns? front office has.

?Right now, it doesn?t seem like the interest level is there with upper management,? Cribbs said. ?I want to be a Brown. I want to continue my career here. I want to retire a Cleveland Brown, and that?s my intention. I?m gonna go as far as I can with the team to make a compromise.?

Cribbs said late last season that he was frustrated by the way he was being used (or not being used) in the Browns? offense. He still feels that way, and he isn?t sure if the new coaching staff has any plans for him.

?I know I haven?t been used to my potential,? Cribbs said. ?My thing with coaches and upper management ? mostly with upper management ? you draft guys and guys come in that?s new, they have to play. And it shouldn?t be this way. It should be the best guys that?s gonna help you win that play.?

If Cribbs wants to show that he can help a team win, he may need to do it somewhere other than Cleveland.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/27/league-will-investigate-quetioning-of-nick-kasa-at-combine/related/

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Apple deletes iCloud mails containing phrase 'barely legal teens'

Samsung sparks anxiety at Google
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/26/13 22:39 UTC
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Google is growing increasingly concerned with Samsung's dominance of the Android - and smartphone - landscape. Supposedly, the topic is being openly discussed at Google, and as far as I'm concerned, that's great news. 1??Read More ? 46 Comment(s)

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Google unveils Chromebook Pixel Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/21/13 20:48 UTC It's turning out to be a bit of a crazy week for cool new products, isn't it? We already got Ubuntu Touch Preview for phones and tablets, then we got the new PlayStation 4 yesterday, and today Google surprised us all by launching the Chromebook Pixel. Google's first laptop appears to be a stunning machine - just don't ask who the hell it's for. 4??Read More ? 76 Comment(s)

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Google Glass' user interface revealed Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/20/13 11:40 UTC This is amazing. Not only has Google just opened up the pre-order program for Google Glass to 'creative individuals', it has also unveiled what the user interface looks like and how it works. It's... Nothing short of amazing. I'm throwing money, credit cards, my car keys, my house keys, my Surface RT, my cats, everything at my screen. I want this so bad. 5??Read More ? 101 Comment(s)

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Ubuntu Touch Preview coming to Nexus tablets this week Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/19/13 16:23 UTC After desktops and phones, Ubuntu is now bringing its Linux distribution to tablets. Coming Thursday, preview images for Google's Nexus tablets will be released, so we can all get a good long look at what Canonical is cooking up. They've published a YouTube video which details all that Ubuntu has to offer for tablets, and to be honest, it's looking quite good. 7??Read More ? 75 Comment(s)

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2012: a BSD year in retrospective

Linked by Julian Djamil Fagir on 02/14/13 22:23 UTC

BSD (Berkely System Distribution) was a research operating system based on the original AT&T Unix, developed by the University of Berkeley, California. It has been Open Source right from the beginning, and after the university lost interest in developing it further, several community projects started up (the very first ones were NetBSD and FreeBSD in the early nineties) to continue developing BSD. Anyway, Linux was born roughly at the same time, but a pending lawsuit about copyright infringements prevented the BSD projects to become as successful as Linux (though you could argue about the exact reasons). 13??Read More ? 61 Comment(s)

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Opera to switch desktop, mobile browsers to WebKit Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/13/13 13:21 UTC De kogel is door de kerk: as we already talked about earlier, Opera is going to switch to the WebKit engine, leaving its own Presto rendering engine behind. We didn't yet know if they would the switch only on mobile or on the desktop as well, and they cleared that up too: both mobile and desktop Opera Browsers will switch to the WebKit rendering engine. 17??Read More ? 158 Comment(s)

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What Ever Happened to OS/2? Linked by Howard Fosdick on 02/12/13 13:51 UTC Remember OS/2? Promoted as the successor to DOS in the late 1980's and early 1990's, the product wound up losing out to Windows and then slowly fading away. This article recounts what happened and summarizes OS/2 today. 7??Read More ? 36 Comment(s)

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Surface Pro reviews are in Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/06/13 11:23 UTC And there we are - the Surface Pro reviews are in. Reading through them all, there's clearly a common theme, and it's not particularly positive. We're a few months in now, so I think we can finally call it: Windows 8 and Surface are the wrong way to go. 3??Read More ? 100 Comment(s)

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Battle of the Androids: Google Android vs. Samsung Android

Linked by Alexey Eromenko on 02/01/13 21:52 UTC

Many people think that all Androids are equal and it's a race to the bottom where the cheapest vendor wins. This could not be farther from the truth. For me, it all began half-a-year ago, when I bought the Samsung Galaxy S III and was absolutely stunned by it, then exploring and comparing it with other Androids. Now that Google has fired a shot across the bow with its low pricing for the unlocked Nexus 4, where does that leave Samsung and its flagship handset? 0??Read More ? 65 Comment(s)

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Windows Phone 7.8: hollow, pointless, and essentially useless Linked by Thom Holwerda on 02/01/13 18:25 UTC A few days ago, Microsoft released the long-awaited Windows Phone 7.8 update for all those users who will be stuck on Windows Phone 7 forever because there's no upgrade path to Windows Phone 8 other than buying a new phone. Now that it's here, what, exactly, does WP7.8 to the table? 7??Read More ? 81 Comment(s)

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Source: http://www.osnews.com/story/26812/Apple_deletes_iCloud_mails_containing_phrase_barely_legal_teens_

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Low profile for sport on BBC power list - Women's Views on News

The Radio 4 programme Woman?s Hour recently published its list of the UK?s most powerful women.?

Out of the 100 women featured on the Power List, just four were from the world of sport: Clare Balding, Karren Brady, Heather Rabbatts and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

The top twenty was ranked in order of power and was topped, somewhat bizarrely in my view, by HM The Queen.

The other 80 were listed in alphabetical order, and the sporting four featured in this group.

But what is power and how can it be measured?

The Woman?s Hour website?s?definition?was based on a list of questions:

?Which women have the biggest impact on our economy, society, politics and culture?

?Who has the ability to inspire change as a role model or a thinker?

?Does power boil down to having the money to make things happen?

?Has new technology changed what it is to be powerful??

The Woman?s Hour Power List, the site continued, looked at ?the achievements of British women across public life and offer some measure of the progress women have made in society?.

It hoped to ?shine a light on the top female politicians, business women and leaders in their field ? from areas as diverse as finance, education, health, engineering and the arts?.

And it asked how much power these women have in modern Britain.

Anyone could be nominated via an online form. The nominees were then judged by a panel comprising Eve Pollard, former Woman?s Hour editor Jill Burridge, Baroness Oona King, writer Val McDermid, journalist Dawn O?Porter and Priti Patel MP.

In addition to this, ?expert witnesses? could be called to advise on specific areas.

I was going to put a name forward, but I wasn?t quite sure where or if sport would fit into it.

I was glad to see four did actually make the list, but there could have been so many more.

So, if you?ll indulge me, I?d like to mention a few outstanding women from sport who I think should have made the list.

But first, a look at the four women who did make it.

They are a diverse group, coming at their roles from varying angles, but with a shared love of sport and a will to influence the future.

Clare Balding was a figure of ridicule when she started her broadcasting career.

She still has her detractors, but they are now in a minority and Balding is undoubtedly a rising star.

She has gone from being ?the horsey one? to being able to show a real depth of knowledge in everything she covers. Her stock rose greatly during the London Olympics when her hard work clearly paid off with universal acknowledgement as one of the best broadcasters around.

Since then she seems to have gained confidence and is not afraid to make comments on wider issues pertaining to women.

On the Radio 4 website Balding is quoted as saying, ?I think ?ambitious? is one of those adjectives used for women in a derogatory way.

?And, yet, I think ambition is crucial in life ? you have to know what you might be capable of and push yourself slightly beyond it.?

Karren Brady crosses effortlessly between the worlds of business and sport.

She came to public prominence when she became the first female Managing Director of a football club at Birmingham City from 1993 to 2009.

Since then she has featured on Alan Sugar?s ?The Apprentice?, while maintaining her links with football, becoming vice-chair of West Ham United in January 2010.

She has spoken out against sexism in business and in sport and continues to campaign on the issue.

In an interview with the Telegraph in 2012 she said, ?I don?t feel any shame in saying I enjoy my work.? I do.

?There are two things important to me: my children and my work.? I won?t give either up.?

Heather Rabbatts CBE is another woman equally at home in business and sport.

After spells as chief executive at the London boroughs of Lambeth, Merton and Hammersmith and Fulham she turned her attention to football, becoming Executive Deputy Chair of Millwall FC in 2006.

In 2012 she became the first female board member at the Football Association (FA).

She is also a trustee of the Royal Opera House and sits on several other boards.

She has broken through spectacularly in the notoriously male-dominated world of football.

In an interview with The Independent?following?her appointment at Millwall, Rabbatts said, ?Given football is the national game and such a huge part of our cultural life, women should have a bigger part in it.

?When you look at the people running it on the FA Council, where the average age is about 65 and there?s only one woman out of 93, you think, ?Come on guys, get real.

?More and more women are going to football. Don?t you need to embrace us??

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson competed in five Paralympic Games, winning 16 medals, of which 11 were gold.

Since her retirement from competitive sport in 2007 she has carved out a career in television.

She is also a non-executive director of UK Athletics and is on the board of the London Marathon.

She was made a life peer in 2010, and speaks not only on disability issues, but more recently has used her time in the House of Lords to contribute to the Welfare Reform and Legal Aid Bills.

So, these are the four women to whom we can look to make a difference and to fight for a greater role for women?s sport and women?s role within sport.

As for my choices, top of the list is Sue Tibballs, CEO of the Women?s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF).

Her profile is steadily increasing as she is called upon for a pertinent comment whenever the future of women?s sport or the state of women?s fitness is discussed.

The WSFF website is awash with excellent initiatives to get women more active. When searching for an ?expert? opinion, it is one of the first sources I turn to.

Commenting on WSFF?s ?She Moves??campaign, Tibballs said, ?We know that women have busy lives and often lack the time or motivation to invest in getting fit and making themselves feel good.

?Women are finding it harder than ever to prioritise exercise while they are facing the pressures of work, childcare and running homes?

??As a mother myself, I know that big life events like having a child or starting a new job can create real barriers to staying active, and we want to bring women together to motivate each other to stay fit and healthy.?

My second choice? England cricket captain?Charlotte Edwards.

Despite suffering surprise losses in the last two international tournaments, Edwards has been exemplary in her conduct both on and off the field.

She became the first woman to join the MCC World Cricket Committee, in May 2012 and will be a real force to be reckoned with when promoting women?s cricket in this traditionally conservative world.

Indeed, cricket is one sport in which women are, at last, making an impact. Things are changing with pace. I considered several candidates from cricket, who could not only have the potential to be movers and shakers in the game, but could influence policy with regard to the promotion of sport and physical activity to a wider audience.

These include former England captain Clare Connor, the first female member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) cricket committee, and the woman who did it all first and is still influential,?Rachael Heyhoe-Flint.

Now Baroness Heyhoe-Flint, she was elected to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2010. She was the first woman to be inducted to the ICC Hall of Fame.

Hope Powell, the England women?s football manager could also have made it onto the list. She has been instrumental in the regeneration of the women?s game in this country.

And finally, cyclist Lizzie Armistead. Never afraid to voice an opinion, Armistead has shown herself to be confident and erudite when discussing the gender gap in cycling.

She has already taken on an unofficial role as an advocate for women?s cycling equality.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Armistead was forthright in her views, saying, ?The sexism I have encountered in my career can get quite overwhelming and very frustrating.?

The thing that strikes me is that not one of the names on the official list operates solely in sport. This is in direct contrast to my own suggestions and implies that excellence in one field is not enough when that field is sport.

It is a shame that this seems to be the case as this is not the impression given by the definition quoted.

However, it is good to see sport represented.

Those of us who are passionate about women?s sport and about sport in general can only follow the careers of these four women who did make the 100 list with interest.

Source: http://www.womensviewsonnews.org/2013/02/sport-given-low-profile-on-bbc-power-list/

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Business Assistant Professor - HigherEdJobs

Business Assistant Professor

Last Day to Apply: March 29, 2013 by 4:00 p.m.

JOB OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Los Medanos College/Brentwood Center located in Pittsburg/Brentwood, California is accepting applications for a full-time, tenure track Business Assistant Professor.

ANNUAL SALARY RANGE

(FIRST YEAR FACULTY)

$54,576 to $82,128 depending on education and experience
Note: A collective bargaining agreement exists and membership in United Faculty or payment of a service fee is required.

EMPLOYMENT BEGINS Fall 2013 (mid-August)

BENEFITS Membership in State Teachers Retirement System (STRS)
District-paid benefits (employee contributes 6%) for employee and dependents/domestic partners include:

• Medical (Health Net or Kaiser) insurance including chiropractic
• Dental and vision
• Flexible spending (125) plan
• Life and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Deferred compensation (403b and 457)
• Sabbatical Leave

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION

Los Medanos College is seeking a full-time tenure track professor in Business Administration to begin in August 2013. The successful applicants will be well qualified to teach business courses such as Introduction to Business, Accounting, Business Law, Personal Finance, and Small Business Management.

This assignment will include teaching both day and evening Business classes and it may include an assignment at the college's Brentwood Center and online classes. The teaching assignment will be approximately 15-20 lecture and lab hours a week for two semesters totaling 35 weeks a year. The weekly teaching schedule provides for some flexibility based on when the classes are scheduled. Summer teaching opportunities may be available for additional compensation in addition to the standard fall and spring semester teaching assignments.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide course instruction and assessment in accordance with established course learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
2. Inform students concerning course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements.
3. Maintain necessary attendance and scholastic records and submit them according to published deadlines.
4. Prepare and grade course assignments and examinations.
5. Post and maintain regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy.
6. Participate in faculty discussion of curriculum, teaching-learning techniques and teaching materials.
7. Participate in department, division and college-wide committees.
8. Develop and revise course materials as necessary to maintain state-of-the art teaching and learning.
9. Foster a positive working environment, demonstrate positive communication skills within the college community as well as a respect for the dignity of each individual.
10. Participate in professional development activities.
11. Maintain current knowledge in the subject and in effective teaching/learning strategies.
12. Provide guidance and support to adjunct faculty in the department.
13. In cooperation with the LMC counselors, establish academic and educational plans for the Business department students based upon a clear progression of Business courses leading to a certificate or an Associate of Science degree.
14. Communicate information about employment opportunities to students.
15. Work collegially with the dean, faculty and staff in the program and the college.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The applicant must possess one of the following qualifications:

1. Master's degree in business, business administration, business management, accounting, finance, marketing, or business education; OR
2. Bachelor's degree in either of the above AND master's degree in economics, personnel management, public administration, or JD or LL.B. degree; OR
3. Bachelor's degree in economics with a business emphasis AND master's degree in personnel management, public administration, or JD or LL.B. degree; OR
4. The equivalent. (If you believe that you meet the minimum qualifications via equivalency, please fill out the equivalency petition form in the application packet.)
5. A valid California community college instructor credential authorizing full-time instruction in business

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The college is seeking applicants who exhibit the highest level of professional excellence and dedication as evidenced by:
1. Demonstrated commitment to student learning and demonstrated commitment to promoting the success of all students in an open-access learning environment;
2. Demonstrated sensitivity to and ability to motivate and teach community college students of diverse racial, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, preparation, learning styles, and/or abilities/disabilities;
3. Commitment to professional growth and development, to innovation and improvement of teaching, and to assuming faculty responsibilities beyond the classroom in a shared governance environment;
4. Demonstrated work experience in management, marketing, finance, small business management, entrepreneurship, or international business;
5. Experience in using educational technology for in-class and/or online teaching;
6. Experience in advancing student learning, student assessment, and curriculum development;
7. Current industry contacts to further develop the program advisory board and establish student internships.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

1. Applications will be screened to insure the applicant meets the minimum qualifications as stated in the job announcement.
2. A committee will screen the Supplemental Job Information Questionnaire and rate the applicant on desirable qualifications.
3. Those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and possess the highest rating of desired job-related qualifications will be invited to the college at their own expense for an interview and teaching demonstration. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of April 15-19, 2013. Such an interview is a prerequisite to employment.
4. After completion of the above three steps, up to five (5) applicants will be invited to return for an interview with the College President or designee. Final interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of April 29 - May 3, 2013.
5. The College President will make the final recommendation to the Governing Board of the Contra Costa Community College District.

COMPLETE APPLICATION PACKET

MUST BE RECEIVED BY:
Last day to apply: March 29, 2013 by 4:00 p.m.
Office of Instruction
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Pittsburg, CA 94565
(925) 439-2181 x3272

NO FAXED OR E-MAILED MATERIALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

A complete application packet consists of:
* Contra Costa Community College District Application for Employment - Academic
[Applications, supplemental job information questionnaires, and information may be obtained at www.4cd.edu, "Career Opportunities," or by calling (925) 439-2181 ext 3272.]
* Supplemental Questionnaire Answers
* Resume
* Copy of college transcript(s) for screening purposes
* Equivalency form (found at the end of the employment application) and supporting documentation (if qualifying under #4 of Minimum Qualifications)
The submission of a complete application packet by the deadline is the responsibility of the applicant. Incomplete or late packets will not be accepted.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Los Medanos College, opened in 1974, is the newest campus of the Contra Costa Community College District, which also includes Contra Costa College in San Pablo and Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. The college serves students primarily from the rapidly-growing eastern portion of the county. Los Medanos College is fully accredited, offering a transferable general education program and a variety of quality career and technical education programs. The college serves approximately 10,000 day and evening students. Additional information: www.losmedanos.edu

The Contra Costa Community College District is a Drug-Free work place. The District verifies that all new employees are either U.S. citizens or aliens authorized to work in the U.S., in conformance with the 1986 Immigration and Control Act. Potential employees should be aware that smoking is prohibited in many areas of the District facilities.

THE CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
In conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, requests for reasonable accommodation may be made to: Director of Business Services (925) 439-2181 ext 3206

To view full job description and apply, visit: http://www.4cd.edu/career/fulltime_faculty/Business Assistant Professor.pdf

jeid-418ce462953fa1df049de6417e7e6973

Source: http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175724593

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Good Ideas , With Your Air Conditioning & Heating Needs ...

Because you don?t know everything about home improvement does not imply you cannot get more info. There are so many things that one could learn in order to build new skills and generate greater success at your residence projects. Read more understanding of the several projects you may complete at your residence, you start with the house improvement tips on this page.

Should you not currently have some, install some fans in your rooms. You may use these to cool rooms and circulate mid-air, reducing the necessity to takes place air conditioning unit. Therefore could save you funds on your utility bill and many likely increase the life-span of your respective air conditioning equipment.

Never install non-operable windows after a home improvement effort. Apart from picture windows or large, exotic glazing, every standard-sized window should be capable of opening. Irrespective of climate, for each and every home there will be times of the year and times through the day when cracking of the question open is the better way of air conditioning. http://hvac-pros-lagunahills.info

Consider your well being before visual aesthetics when starting home improvements. A pond inside your garage may be nice, but having your child fall in and drown can be horrifying. You should purchase a desk, though the money could be be better invested in installing air conditioning within a Florida home.

Maintain fans circulating, or spend money on some should you not currently utilize them. Rooms are kept more cool with the circulating air manufactured by fans. In addition, if you are using them rather than air conditioning on days past that are not scorching, the amount of energy you take in is reduced, helping you to enjoy lower electric bills.

If your snow in your roof melts rapidly, make sure the insulation inside your attic. Snow shouldn?t melt in any way with a roof providing the attic is keeping the heat in your own home and the cold outside. Replacing the insulation will even reduce your heating bills as your heat has stopped being getting used to warm-up the attic as well.

An incredible home improvement project that could save you a bundle is usually to purchase a programmable thermostat. These thermostats can let you program in several different settings so that you will are using your heating and air conditioning system only when you need it and without needing to monitor it constantly.

Clean or replace the filters in your home?s heating and air conditioning system. Dirty filters make the system less capable. Often filter cleaning or replacement is certainly a easy job that can be done by the homeowner. Even if you should work with a professional, you likely recoup the expense relatively quickly. hvac-pros-lagunahills.info

Install fans to disperse heat and cooling better throughout your property. Throughout the mild seasons, fans can provide every one of the cooling you may need. Through the entire colder cold months of winter, your fans can spread out the warm air out of your heating system faster, lowering expensive heating costs.

If you can dream about an excellent home improvement project, you can also do what can be done to put a plan into action. The information on this page, if applied, provide on an excellent start. So, precisely what are you awaiting? Get started immediately!

?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 at 3:20 am and is filed under Design, Magazine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.suburbanlifemag.com/1110-good-ideas-with-your-air-conditioning-heating-needs

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Sports Briefs for Feb. 26: TMNews.com

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Times-Mail
February 26, 2013 BNL state finals ticket information BEDFORD ? The Bedford North Lawrence athletic department has released the procedures for purchasing tickets to Saturday?s IHSAA Girl ... Please log in at right to read the rest of this story. Subscribing to TMNews.com gives you 24/7 access to our news, features, and story archives (back to 1996) from anywhere. To start a subscription, you will need a major credit card and an email address to set up the account. Seven-day home delivery subscribers are entitled to complimentary access to our web site.

Source: http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2013/02/26/sports.886867.tms

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Wary of crises, Americans tune out budget cut talk

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio wraps up a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, where he and GOP leaders challenged President Obama and the Senate to avoid the automatic spending cuts set to take effect in four days. Boehner complained that the House, with Republicans in the majority, has twice passed bills that would replace the across-the-board cuts known as the "sequester" with more targeted reductions, while the Senate, controlled by the Democrats, has not acted. He is followed by Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kansas is at left. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio wraps up a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, where he and GOP leaders challenged President Obama and the Senate to avoid the automatic spending cuts set to take effect in four days. Boehner complained that the House, with Republicans in the majority, has twice passed bills that would replace the across-the-board cuts known as the "sequester" with more targeted reductions, while the Senate, controlled by the Democrats, has not acted. He is followed by Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kansas is at left. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., and the Senate GOP leadership, face reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, to answer questions on the looming automatic spending cuts, following the weekly Republican strategy session. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. answers questions on the looming automatic spending cuts following a Democratic strategy session, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Reid also responded to House Speaker John Boehner who used salty language earlier in the day to prod the Senate to act on legislation to replace the automatic spending cuts known as the sequester. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is pulling out all the stops to warn just what could happen if automatic budget cuts kick in. Americans are reacting with a collective yawn.

They know the shtick: Obama raises the alarm, Democrats and Republicans accuse each other of holding a deal hostage, there's a lot of yelling on cable news, and then finally, when everyone has made their points, a deal is struck and the day is saved.

Maybe not this time. Two days before $85 billion in cuts are set to hit federal programs with all the precision of a wrecking ball, there are no signs that the White House and Republicans in Congress are even negotiating. Both sides appear quietly resigned to the prospect that this is one bullet we just may not dodge.

Still, for all the grim predictions, Americans seem to be flipping the channel to something a little less, well, boring. They wonder, haven't we been here before?

It's like deja vu, says Patrick Naylon, who runs an audiovisual firm in San Francisco: "The same stuff, over and over again."

Texas native Corby Biddle, 53, isn't losing sleep over the cuts. No way the government will let vital services collapse, he said as he visited tourist attractions this week in downtown Atlanta.

"It will get resolved. They will kick the can down the road," Biddle said.

Usually, that's exactly what happens. Even the cuts behind the current panic were originally supposed to kick in on Jan. 1 ? part of the fiscal-cliff combo of spending cuts and tax hikes that economists warned could nudge the nation back into recession. For all the high drama, lawmakers finally acted on New Year's Day, compromising on taxes and punting the spending cuts to March 1.

And the blunt instrument known as the "sequester" that's set to deliver the cuts? That too was the progeny of another moment of government-by-brinksmanship, a concession that in 2011 made possible the grand bargain that saved the U.S. from a first-ever default on its debt.

Even if the current cuts go through, the impact won't be immediate. Federal workers would be notified next week that they will have to take up to a day every week off without pay, but the furloughs won't start for a month due to notification requirements. That will give negotiators some breathing room to keep working on a deal.

But you can only cry wolf so many times before people just stop paying attention.

"I know you guys must get tired of it," Obama told a crowd in Virginia on Tuesday. "Didn't we just solve this thing? Now we've got another thing coming up?"

Three out of 4 Americans say they aren't following the spending cuts issue very closely, according to a Pew Research Center poll released this week. It's a significant drop from the nearly 4 in 10 who in December said they were closely following the fiscal-cliff debate.

Public data from Google's search engine shows that at its peak in December, the search term "fiscal cliff" was about 10 times as popular as "sequestration" has been in recent days. Even "debt ceiling," not a huge thriller for the web-surfing crowd, maxed out in July 2011 at about three times the searches the sequester is now getting.

"We're now approaching the next alleged deadline of doom. And voters, having been told previously that the world might end, found it did not in the past and are becoming more skeptical that it will in the future," said Peter Brown of the nonpartisan Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

And let's face it: When it comes to policy issues that can really put an audience to sleep, "sequestration" is right up there with filibuster reform, chained CPI and carried interest.

For all the angst about layoffs, furloughs and slashes to government contracts, the markets don't seem to be rattled, either. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, after falling below 13,000 at the height of the fiscal cliff debacle, has been buoyant ever since, spending the last month hovering just below 14,000.

"I shrug my shoulders because I don't believe any of those severe cuts will go through," said Karen Jensen, a retired hospital administrator who stopped to talk in New York's Times Square. "Life goes on as it has before."

But if the Obama administration hasn't managed to convince Americans these spending cuts could be the real deal, it's not for lack of trying.

Each day the cuts grow nearer sees a new dire warning from the White House about another government function that will take a hit if they go into effect ? what White House chief of staff Denis McDonough has called a "devastating list of horribles." Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned Monday that her agency will be forced to furlough 5,000 border patrol agents. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said 70,000 preschool kids could be removed from Head Start. Fewer air traffic controllers could mean 90-minute delays or longer in major cities, and visiting hours at all 398 national parks are likely to be cut, the administration has said.

The White House has circulated 51 reports ? one for each state, plus the District of Columbia ? localizing the effects of the cuts. On Tuesday, Obama took his cautionary tale to a shipbuilding site in Newport News, Va., calling attention to how the cuts could impede the military. The White House says in Virginia alone, about 90,000 civilians working for the Defense Department would be furloughed, for a nearly $650 million reduction in gross pay.

"The president needs to stop campaigning, stop trying to scare the American people, stop trying to scare the states," Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said Monday after governors from both parties met with Obama behind closed doors. "Now's the time to cut spending. It can be done without jeopardizing the economy. It can be done without jeopardizing critical services."

The age-old Republican desire for a scaled-back federal government makes it clear why, on the one hand, the GOP isn't scrambling to avert the cuts ? especially when Obama insists on more tax revenues in any deal to turn them off. On the other hand, Obama is banking on polls that show if the cuts go through, Republicans are likely to bear most of the blame.

Both parties agree that if you're going to cut spending, an indiscriminate mechanism like the sequester is the wrong way to do it. After all, the whole point of the endeavor was to set in motion ramifications so unbearable that lawmakers would be forced to come together and hash out a better plan before the deadline.

Count James Ford of Louisville, Ky., among those still holding out hope.

"They'll come up with something to keep the thing going," he said. "They always do."

___

Associated Press writers Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Jake Pearson in New York and Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Ky., contributed to this report.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-27-US-Budget-Battle-Crisis-Fatigue/id-6f49e5b15f2341808dfb6b99bd6f0468

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Wall Street trips and falls on cloudy Italian election

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks on Monday suffered their biggest drop since November after a strong showing in Italian elections by groups opposed to the country's economic reforms triggered worry that Europe's debt problems could once again destabilize the global economy.

The decline marks the biggest percentage drop for the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 Index since November7, and drove the S&P down to its lowest close since January 18. The CBOE Volatility Index <.vix> or VIX, Wall Street's favorite barometer of fear, surged 34 percent, its biggest jump since August 18, 2011.

Selling accelerated late in the trading session after the S&P 500 fell below the 1,500 level, which has acted as a significant support point. Monday marked the S&P's first close under 1,500 since February 4.

Italy's center-left coalition holds a slim lead over former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's center-right bloc in the election for the lower house of parliament, three TV projections indicated. But any government must also command a majority in the Senate, a race that is decided by region.

The resulting gridlock in parliament could lead to new elections and cast into doubt Italy's ability to pay down its debt.

"Europe hasn't gone away as an issue, it is going to hang around, and it is rearing its ugly head today," said Stephen Massocca, managing director of Wedbush Morgan in San Francisco.

"If someone gets elected who is simply not going to play by the rules, what are they going to do? It puts them in a real quandary here because their financial support, their monetary support is all stipulated by the fact that these austerity programs are going to be in place."

Earlier polls pointing to a center-left victory boosted stocks in Milan and other European markets, and also helped lift the S&P 500 to a session high of 1,525.84 on optimism that Italy would continue down its austerity path.

After a strong start to the year, equities have retreated more recently. The S&P 500's slight fall last week was its first weekly drop after a seven-week string of gains.

In Monday's volatile session, banks and other financial stocks were among the worst performers on worries about the sector's exposure to Italy's massive debt. The KBW Bank Index <.bkx> fell 2.7 percent.

The CBOE Volatility Index <.vix> ended at 18.99, up 34.02 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> dropped 216.40 points, or 1.55 percent, to 13,784.17 at the close. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> lost 27.75 points, or 1.83 percent, to 1,487.85. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> fell 45.57 points, or 1.44 percent, to 3,116.25.

Although the overall market lost ground on Monday, there were a few bright spots.

Barnes & Noble Inc shares shot up 11.5 percent to $15.06 after the bookseller's chairman offered to buy its declining retail business.

Amgen Inc shares climbed 3.1 percent to $89.55, after rival Affymax issued a voluntary recall of its only drug, an anemia treatment that competes with Amgen's top-selling red blood cell booster, Epogen. Affymax shares lost 85.4 percent to $2.42.

The FTSEurofirst-300 index of top European shares <.fteu3> edged up 0.04 percent and Italy's main FTSE MIB <.ftmib> ended up 0.7 percent after earlier gaining nearly 4 percent.

Political uncertainty on the home front, though, is also on Wall Street's mind.

U.S. equities will face a test with the looming debate over so-called sequestration - U.S. government budget cuts that will take effect starting on Friday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement over spending and taxes. The White House issued warnings about the harm the cuts are likely to inflict on the economy if enacted.

"Sitting out there is the one-thousand-pound gorilla - the sequester issue - and certainly nothing is happening there," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, New York.

Lowe's Companies Inc lost 4.8 percent to $35.86 after the home improvement retailer posted fourth-quarter earnings.

With 83 percent of the S&P 500 companies having reported results so far, 69 percent beat profit expectations, compared with a 62 percent average since 1994 and 65 percent over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Fourth-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are estimated to have risen 6 percent, according to the data, above a 1.9 percent forecast at the start of the earnings season.

Volume was active with about 7.27 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE MKT and Nasdaq, above the daily average of 6.46 billion.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on both the NYSE and the Nasdaq by a ratio of about 4 to 1.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry, Nick Zieminski and Jan Paschal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-point-flat-higher-open-091937222--finance.html

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New fabrication technique could provide breakthrough for solar energy systems

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Colin Poitras
colin.poitras@uconn.edu
860-486-4656
University of Connecticut

Atomic layer deposition process could greatly improve efficiency of solar rectenna arrays

A novel fabrication technique developed by a University of Connecticut engineering professor could provide the breakthrough technology scientists have been looking for to vastly improve the efficiency of today's solar energy systems.

For years, scientists have studied the potential benefits of a new branch of solar energy technology that relies on nanosized antenna arrays theoretically capable of harvesting more than 70 percent of the sun's electromagnetic radiation and simultaneously converting it into usable electric power.

But while nanosized antennas that also serve as rectifiers have shown promise in theory, scientists have lacked the technology required to construct and test them. The fabrication process is immensely challenging. The nano-antennas known as "rectennas" because of their ability to both absorb and rectify solar energy from alternating current to direct current must be capable of operating at the speed of visible light and be built in such a way that their core pair of electrodes is a mere 1 or 2 nanometers apart, a distance of approximately one millionth of a millimeter, or 30,000 times smaller than the diameter of human hair.

The potential breakthrough lies in a novel fabrication process called selective area atomic layer deposition (ALD) that was developed by Brian Willis, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Connecticut and the former director of UConn's Chemical Engineering Program.

It is through atomic layer deposition that scientists believe they can finally fabricate a working rectenna device. In a rectenna device, one of the two interior electrodes must have a sharp tip, similar to the point of a triangle. The secret is getting the tip of that electrode within one or two nanometers of the opposite electrode, something similar to holding the point of a needle to the plane of a wall. Before the advent of ALD, existing lithographic fabrication techniques had been unable to create such a small space within a working electrical diode. Using sophisticated electronic equipment such as electron guns, the closest scientists could get was about 10 times the required separation. Through atomic layer deposition, Willis has shown he is able to precisely coat the tip of the rectenna with layers of individual copper atoms until a gap of about 1.5 nanometers is achieved. The process is self-limiting and stops at 1.5 nanometer separation.

The size of the gap is critical because it creates an ultra-fast tunnel junction between the rectenna's two electrodes, allowing a maximum transfer of electricity. The nanosized gap gives energized electrons on the rectenna just enough time to tunnel to the opposite electrode before their electrical current reverses and they try to go back. The triangular tip of the rectenna makes it hard for the electrons to reverse direction, thus capturing the energy and rectifying it to a unidirectional current.

Impressively, the rectennas, because of their extremely small and fast tunnel diodes, are capable of converting solar radiation in the infrared region through the extremely fast and short wavelengths of visible light something that has never been accomplished before. Silicon solar panels, by comparison, have a single band gap which, loosely speaking, allows the panel to convert electromagnetic radiation efficiently at only one small portion of the solar spectrum. The rectenna devices don't rely on a band gap and may be tuned to harvest light over the whole solar spectrum, creating maximum efficiency.

Willis and a team of scientists from Penn State Altoona along with SciTech Associates Holdings Inc., a private research and development company based in State College, Pa., recently received a $650,000, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to fabricate rectennas and search for ways to maximize their performance.

"This new technology could get us over the hump and make solar energy cost-competitive with fossil fuels," says Willis. "This is brand new technology, a whole new train of thought."

The Penn State Altoona research team which has been exploring the theoretical side of rectennas for more than a decade is led by physics professor Darin Zimmerman, with fellow physics professors Gary Weisel and Brock Weiss serving as co-investigators. The collaboration also includes Penn State emeritus physics professors Paul Cutler and Nicholas Miskovsky, who are principal members of Scitech Associates.

"The solar power conversion device under development by this collaboration of two universities and an industry subcontractor has the potential to revolutionize green solar power technology by increasing efficiencies, reducing costs, and providing new economic opportunities," Zimmerman says.

"Until the advent of selective atomic layer deposition (ALD), it has not been possible to fabricate practical and reproducible rectenna arrays that can harness solar energy from the infrared through the visible," says Zimmerman. "ALD is a vitally important processing step, making the creation of these devices possible. Ultimately, the fabrication, characterization, and modeling of the proposed rectenna arrays will lead to increased understanding of the physical processes underlying these devices, with the promise of greatly increasing the efficiency of solar power conversion technology."

The atomic layer deposition process is favored by science and industry because it is simple, easily reproducible, and scalable for mass production. Willis says the chemical process is particularly applicable for precise, homogenous coatings for nanostructures, nanowires, nanotubes, and for use in the next generation of high-performing semi-conductors and transistors.

The method being used to fabricate rectennas also can be applied to other areas, including enhancing current photovoltaics (the conversion of photo energy to electrical energy), thermoelectrics, infrared sensing and imaging, and chemical sensors.

Over the next year, Willis and his collaborators in Pennsylvania plan to build prototype rectennas and begin testing their efficiency.

"To capture the visible light frequencies, the rectenna have to get smaller than anything we've ever made before, so we're really pushing the limits of what we can do," says Willis. "And the tunnel junctions have to operate at the speed of visible light, so we're pushing down to these really high speeds to the point where the question becomes 'Can these devices really function at this level?' Theoretically we know it is possible, but we won't know for sure until we make and test this device."

###

---

[ | E-mail | 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.

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Colin Poitras
colin.poitras@uconn.edu
860-486-4656
University of Connecticut

Atomic layer deposition process could greatly improve efficiency of solar rectenna arrays

A novel fabrication technique developed by a University of Connecticut engineering professor could provide the breakthrough technology scientists have been looking for to vastly improve the efficiency of today's solar energy systems.

For years, scientists have studied the potential benefits of a new branch of solar energy technology that relies on nanosized antenna arrays theoretically capable of harvesting more than 70 percent of the sun's electromagnetic radiation and simultaneously converting it into usable electric power.

But while nanosized antennas that also serve as rectifiers have shown promise in theory, scientists have lacked the technology required to construct and test them. The fabrication process is immensely challenging. The nano-antennas known as "rectennas" because of their ability to both absorb and rectify solar energy from alternating current to direct current must be capable of operating at the speed of visible light and be built in such a way that their core pair of electrodes is a mere 1 or 2 nanometers apart, a distance of approximately one millionth of a millimeter, or 30,000 times smaller than the diameter of human hair.

The potential breakthrough lies in a novel fabrication process called selective area atomic layer deposition (ALD) that was developed by Brian Willis, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Connecticut and the former director of UConn's Chemical Engineering Program.

It is through atomic layer deposition that scientists believe they can finally fabricate a working rectenna device. In a rectenna device, one of the two interior electrodes must have a sharp tip, similar to the point of a triangle. The secret is getting the tip of that electrode within one or two nanometers of the opposite electrode, something similar to holding the point of a needle to the plane of a wall. Before the advent of ALD, existing lithographic fabrication techniques had been unable to create such a small space within a working electrical diode. Using sophisticated electronic equipment such as electron guns, the closest scientists could get was about 10 times the required separation. Through atomic layer deposition, Willis has shown he is able to precisely coat the tip of the rectenna with layers of individual copper atoms until a gap of about 1.5 nanometers is achieved. The process is self-limiting and stops at 1.5 nanometer separation.

The size of the gap is critical because it creates an ultra-fast tunnel junction between the rectenna's two electrodes, allowing a maximum transfer of electricity. The nanosized gap gives energized electrons on the rectenna just enough time to tunnel to the opposite electrode before their electrical current reverses and they try to go back. The triangular tip of the rectenna makes it hard for the electrons to reverse direction, thus capturing the energy and rectifying it to a unidirectional current.

Impressively, the rectennas, because of their extremely small and fast tunnel diodes, are capable of converting solar radiation in the infrared region through the extremely fast and short wavelengths of visible light something that has never been accomplished before. Silicon solar panels, by comparison, have a single band gap which, loosely speaking, allows the panel to convert electromagnetic radiation efficiently at only one small portion of the solar spectrum. The rectenna devices don't rely on a band gap and may be tuned to harvest light over the whole solar spectrum, creating maximum efficiency.

Willis and a team of scientists from Penn State Altoona along with SciTech Associates Holdings Inc., a private research and development company based in State College, Pa., recently received a $650,000, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to fabricate rectennas and search for ways to maximize their performance.

"This new technology could get us over the hump and make solar energy cost-competitive with fossil fuels," says Willis. "This is brand new technology, a whole new train of thought."

The Penn State Altoona research team which has been exploring the theoretical side of rectennas for more than a decade is led by physics professor Darin Zimmerman, with fellow physics professors Gary Weisel and Brock Weiss serving as co-investigators. The collaboration also includes Penn State emeritus physics professors Paul Cutler and Nicholas Miskovsky, who are principal members of Scitech Associates.

"The solar power conversion device under development by this collaboration of two universities and an industry subcontractor has the potential to revolutionize green solar power technology by increasing efficiencies, reducing costs, and providing new economic opportunities," Zimmerman says.

"Until the advent of selective atomic layer deposition (ALD), it has not been possible to fabricate practical and reproducible rectenna arrays that can harness solar energy from the infrared through the visible," says Zimmerman. "ALD is a vitally important processing step, making the creation of these devices possible. Ultimately, the fabrication, characterization, and modeling of the proposed rectenna arrays will lead to increased understanding of the physical processes underlying these devices, with the promise of greatly increasing the efficiency of solar power conversion technology."

The atomic layer deposition process is favored by science and industry because it is simple, easily reproducible, and scalable for mass production. Willis says the chemical process is particularly applicable for precise, homogenous coatings for nanostructures, nanowires, nanotubes, and for use in the next generation of high-performing semi-conductors and transistors.

The method being used to fabricate rectennas also can be applied to other areas, including enhancing current photovoltaics (the conversion of photo energy to electrical energy), thermoelectrics, infrared sensing and imaging, and chemical sensors.

Over the next year, Willis and his collaborators in Pennsylvania plan to build prototype rectennas and begin testing their efficiency.

"To capture the visible light frequencies, the rectenna have to get smaller than anything we've ever made before, so we're really pushing the limits of what we can do," says Willis. "And the tunnel junctions have to operate at the speed of visible light, so we're pushing down to these really high speeds to the point where the question becomes 'Can these devices really function at this level?' Theoretically we know it is possible, but we won't know for sure until we make and test this device."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/uoc-nft022613.php

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Judd, Vanderpump and more to go 'Dancing'

Adam Taylor / ABC

By Ree Hines, TODAY contributor

In just three weeks, glitz, glam and a whole lot of spray tan return to prime time as "Dancing With the Stars" kicks off its 16th season. The battle for the mirror-ball trophy will see 11 stars -- or reasonable facsimiles -- face off for ballroom bragging rights. But which 11 stars?

ABC teased the first star Sunday night -- Super Bowl champ and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones. As for the rest of the cast, they were revealed Tuesday on "Good Morning America."

Here are the stars who'll soon get ready to rumba:

• Wynonna Judd
• D.L. Hughley
• Lisa Vanderpump
• Andy Dick
• Victor Ortiz
• Zendaya
• Aly Raisman
• Kellie Pickler
• Ingo Rademacher
• Dorothy Hamill

See how well all of the hoofer hopefuls perform when the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" kicks off March 18 at 8 p.m. on ABC.

What do you think of the cast? Take our poll below and then share all your thoughts about the new batch of ballroom beginners on our Facebook page.

Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/02/26/17100409-wynonna-judd-lisa-vanderpump-more-to-go-dancing-with-the-stars?lite

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Horse a hidden ingredient in many European foods

DUBLIN (AP) ? So hungry you could eat a horse? Chances are, if you've regularly consumed processed-meat products in Europe, you already have.

Since Ireland published surprise DNA results on Jan. 15 showing that a third of frozen "beef" burgers in Ireland contained at least a trace of horse, food scientists in more than a dozen countries have found the animal trotting into products where it was never meant to roam.

Daily revelations from an ever-increasing menu of supermarket, catering and restaurant goods have taught the world one lesson: When minced up with other meat or slathered with spices, consumers cannot tell equine from bovine in the food chain. European horse has yet to be detected in any American-sold products.

MEATBALLS

In fairness, IKEA never did call them beef balls. The Swedish furniture giant has discovered that its signature cafeteria dish ? spiced meatballs of mixed beef and pork ? also might contain horse.

Ikea said Monday it was withdrawing stocks of frozen "Kottbullar" meatballs from stores in 24 nations, including Thailand and Hong Kong in Asia and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. European countries affected were Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. Somehow, the Swiss were spared.

IKEA was keen to stress that its U.S.-based meatballs were all-American and not subject to recall.

BURGERS

This is the product that started the January stampede to Europe's DNA labs. Irish authorities doing a random quality check were shocked to find horse meat in frozen burgers produced for five Irish and British supermarkets, and eventually traced the source to Poland. The Irish producers' top two customers ? Burger King's British, Irish and Danish restaurants and the British supermarket chain Tesco ? quickly took their business elsewhere.

PIZZA

There's something rotten in Denmark, but it's not the meat itself. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration says a product enigmatically described as "pizza meat" and sold by the Harby Slagtehus meat wholesaler contains cow, pig and horse. The company insists its customers in pizzerias across Denmark knew the topping contained horse, even if that little fact was nowhere on the ingredients list. Government vets don't believe a word of that.

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

Better make that "bolo-neighs." Many of Europe's leading makers of microwaveable frozen foods ? including Birds Eye of Britain, Nestle of Switzerland, and Findus of France ? found that some suppliers had mixed horse into the ground beef used for Europe's most ubiquitous pasta sauce.

PASTA

Not to beat a dead horse, but Europe's food-testing labs are indicating that any factory-made pasta product containing "beef" sauce or filling might be horse in drag. Among those caught at the DNA finish line are the frozen "beef" lasagnas of Birds Eye; Nestle's Buitoni brand of ravioli in Italy and fusilli in Spain; and Combino-branded tortelloni and penne in Austria. France's Comigel blamed the discovery of up to 100 percent horse in its "beef" lasagnas ? sold under other brand names, including Findus and Tesco ? on a complex supply chain stretching from its Luxembourg factory back via Dutch and Cypriot middlemen to Romania horse butchers.

PASTRIES

Thank goodness there's no such thing (yet) as a beef doughnut. In Spain, Nestle's recall of products includes meat-filled, semicircular pastries called empanadas.

PIES

You might be surprised to find horse meat hiding under a frilly layer of potato. British-style cottage pies, with gravy, beef and carrots under the smashed spuds, have been withdrawn from scores of school cafeterias in England, Wales and Scotland after DNA tests found horse meat inside. France made similar discoveries in its potato-topped pie called hachis Parmentier.

VEGETABLES

Mom might tell you to eat your vegetables, but the Nestle product recall in Spain included meat-stuffed peppers.

KEBABS

Once you've blended a handful of meats, does one more really matter? The Austrians found horse in kebab meat produced by a Vienna firm, Lilla Gastronomie, that was supposed to contain a blend of only beef, pork and turkey.

SAUSAGES

Fry 'er up: Despite sausages' worldwide reputation as a favored destination for mystery meat, only Austria has found equine DNA hiding in sausages, in two brands made by Josef Freitag, aka "Joe Friday."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/horse-hidden-ingredient-many-european-foods-174118273--finance.html

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